NE Glisan Storm Drain Work at 91st and 92nd

Crews working with Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) will install modern stormwater management sump drains under NE Glisan Street at the intersections of NE 91st and 92nd Avenues. This work is happening at the same time crews working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) are updating sidewalk corners and curb ramps in the area to meet modern Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. These improvement projects are taking place ahead of a planned street repaving and painting project on NE Glisan Street from NE 82nd to 92nd Avenues. Additional work on SE 94th Avenue will add a new sediment structure and sumps near SE Stark Street.

Map showing NE Glisan and SE 94th Storm Drainage Improvements, detailing locations of new storm structures and sumps. — *^{Project map courtesy BES}*

Diagram illustrating a stormwater management system, showing a car on a street with rain, a storm drain connected to a sedimentation manhole, and a sump/UIC. — *_{Sump Graphic courtesy BES}*

This work requires in-street excavation to make room for the sump maintenance hole created by a large concrete cylinder installed under the street. This structure temporarily stores stormwater, allowing the ground to slowly absorb the rain runoff. During rainfall, water flows into curbside storm drains along the road, which connect to underground separation tanks called sedimentation maintenance holes. This filters out garbage and pollutants from the rainwater before it flows into the sump. At the surface, people only see the round metal maintenance hole covers and the storm drain grates, but the subsurface structures play a critical role in handling runoff from the impervious roadway.

Freshly poured concrete sidewalk with wooden frames, surrounded by a construction barrier and a tree in the background. — *_{NE Glisan St northwest sidewalk corner reconstructed at 91st Ave}*

Crews working with BES completed similar work on NE Glisan Street and 91st Avenue in March 2025. Cement masons reconstructed the northeast corner of the intersection during that project.

Freshly poured concrete sidewalk with safety barriers around it, featuring a grassy area and a tree in the middle, near a residential green house. — *_{NE Glisan St mid-block curb ramp at NE 92nd Ave with stormwater inlet}*

Drivers should anticipate further lane closures starting early May, and pedestrians should be prepared to use detours to cross the street or avoid active job sites. People traveling in the area should follow all crew instructions during working hours and maintain a safe distance from heavy equipment operating in the public right-of-way. Motorists can anticipate further delays on NE Glisan Street during peak travel times.

Article and photo by

Jacob Loeb

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