Category: Construction

Construction, Infrastructure

NW Natural Completes Area Pipe Inspection

Crews with NW Natural recently removed two gas line inspection apparatuses temporarily installed above ground on both sides of Interstate 84, west of the NE 74th Avenue overpass. Federal regulations require natural gas suppliers to inspect their delivery pipes every seven years, promoting safety and efficient operation. The utility’s Pipeline Integrity Management Team inspected over eight miles of gas lines during this project, which completed work on Friday, May 9th.

A fenced area showing a large yellow gas line inspection apparatus on a wooden platform, with traffic cones in the foreground and residential buildings in the background.
Pig launcher installed on NE Jonesmore St west of NE 74th Ave

Although regulations allow gas line inspections through several methods, NW Natural prefers the uses of an internal sensor device known as a Pipeline Inspection Gauge (pig) – the term pig may be a backronym as some sources atribute its name’s origin to a squealing noise produced by early versions of the tool while traveling through a pipe. A pig is a device that operators can insert into a gas line that is nearly the same diameter as the pipe. Once in the pressurized gas pipe, it travels with the fuel flow at around five miles per hour, measuring the thickness of the pipe wall along its path. “As the pig moves through the system, it’s generating a 3D picture from inside the pipeline that can show wall loss or corrosion, dents, contact with other objects underground, or other various anomalies,” explained NW Natural representative Dave Santen.

Temporary gas line inspection apparatuses surrounded by a fence, with construction cones, along Interstate 84.
Pig launcher installed on NE Broadway west of NE 74th Ave

Operators insert the in-pipe sensor equipment into natural gas lines via access points called pig launchers. Crews installed two temporary access points above ground on either side of I-84 west of SE 74th Avenue to bypass the segment of gas pipe that runs under the I-84 overpass in this area. Current NW Natural engineering plans do not use pigs to scan the suspended line over the freeway. Instead, they use other approved inspection methods. Consequently, workers needed to excavate around the below-ground gas lines at NE Jonesmore Street and NE Broadway to attach the pig launcher and receiver so the sensor equipment could continue its path manually, bypassing the overpass attached line.

Excavation site showing a long yellow gas pipe inserted into the ground with construction barriers and fencing along Interstate 84.
Pig launcher installed on NE Broadway west of NE 74th Ave

NW Natural representatives said the inspection went well, and crews have removed the above-ground equipment. Road workers will soon repair the pavement removed during this project. Future inspections of the gas line may be able to send the pig across the overpass. However, this once every seven-year process works well and does not disrupt the natural gas supply for customers who depend on it for heating and cooking.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Otter Wax, a neighborhood producer of small-batch specialty goods handcrafted in Portland. Using only natural ingredients, they make modern care products that are steeped in tradition. We thank them for their support.

Construction, Infrastructure

82nd Ave Lane Closures

Over the next few weeks, contractors with Raimore Construction will continue in-street work along SE 82nd Avenue and repair select pavement sections, requiring lane closures north of the SE Woodward Street intersection. During construction, an alternate driveway entrance to the Fubonn Shopping Center on SE 85th Avenue will allow customers access to the retail complex.

Construction scene on SE 82nd Avenue featuring a Komatsu loader and traffic barriers near Fubonn Shopping Center.

Lane closures in this area have become more common as crews working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) continue building street elements as part of the Building a Better 82nd initiative’s 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project. Currently, contractors are installing traffic separators and median islands north and south of SE Division Street, along with several underground updates to support the road improvements.

A view of SE 82nd Avenue showing a minivan on the road, a recently cut tree stump on the sidewalk, and a utility box. Markings on the pavement indicate ongoing construction work in the area.
Trees PBOT cut down in front of Fubonn Shopping Center making way for reconstructed sidewalks, new trees, and other upgrades.

During recent updates on SE 82nd Avenue at SE Woodward Street, crews cut down sidewalk-planted street trees that the city says would not survive construction planned in the work zone. The work includes corner reconstruction featuring Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant curb ramps, updated traffic signal hardware, new trees, reconstructed sidewalks, and refreshed high-visibility crosswalk markings. PBOT anticipates crews will complete the project by December 2026.

A future TriMet project at this intersection will also add new bus station platforms as part of the planned FX (Frequent Express) bus rapid transit project, expected to open in 2029.

Map showing SE 82nd Avenue and SE Woodward Street, with lane closures and alternate driveway to Fubonn Shopping Center indicated.
Graphic from the 82nd Avenue Transit Project 15% Design Proposal, courtesy TriMet

Although PBOT did remove some mature trees, they intend to add 175 trees in the fall of 2026 as part of this project. Landscapers will plant trees or other plantings in sidewalk tree wells and some median islands in the center of the street. Portland’s Urban Forestry group selected drought-tolerant varieties of trees for this project that should grow to form a large canopy along the street’s edge. These include several oak varieties, Platanus acerifolia ‘Morton Circle,’ Heritage River Birch, Incense Cedar, Ginkgo ‘The President’, Ginkgo’ Magyar ‘, and Willamette Valley Ponderosa Pine. A PBOT contractor will maintain the new trees for five years to ensure they are well established.

Construction worker in a safety vest operating equipment on a roadway, with traffic cone and heavy machinery in the background surrounded by trees.

The primary funding for this work comes from Federal, State, and City sources committed during the jurisdictional transfer of 82nd Avenue from the Oregon Department of Transportation to PBOT on June 1st, 2022. Drivers should use caution when traveling through work sites along 82nd Avenue. People traveling to the Fubonn Shopping Center should consider using the new entrance on SE 85th Avenue for easier access and more parking options. Planners expect construction in this area, including repaving from SE Mill to Brooklyn Streets, to continue into October.

Article and photo by

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the 82nd Avenue Transit Project Community Advisory Committee (CAC).

Update May 23, 2025: Updated the link to the Major Maintenance Project’s Draft Final Concept Design PDF to the project webpage. Updated photo caption and article text to mention tree removal will support PBOT’s reconstruction of sidewalks, and the planting of new trees.

Community, Construction, Infrastructure

New SE Clinton and 85th Sidewalks Deliver on a Decade of Visioning

In late April, cement masons began construction on new Sidewalks and street paving along SE Clinton Street, fulfilling longstanding community requests expressed during a public engagement process that began in 2016. This project will add new sidewalks on SE Clinton Street from SE 84th to 87th Avenues, with roadcrews converting the existing gravel road to a modern street surface from SE 84th Place to 87th Avenue. Crews will also create sidewalks from SE Division Street to SE Powell Boulevard along SE 85th Avenue, with roadway repaving between SE Clinton and Brooklyn Streets.

In late March, crews working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) began preparing sections of the Jade District for the Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project, which will improve access along SE 85th Avenue and SE Clinton Street for all road users in the area and give people traveling outside a car the calmer parallel path to 82nd Avenue that residents have requested for years. In November 2019, the City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability released the Building Healthy Connected Communities Along Division Transit report that the City Council adopted in December 2019. Most sidewalks in the project area will receive updated Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps, letting all pedestrian users navigate the area mostly separated from car traffic.

Map of the Jade District focusing on access issues, highlighting streets with lack of sidewalks and unpaved areas, along with key connections needed to Division Street.
Page 26 from the Building Healthy Connected Communities Along Division Transit document 2019

This project will also add new sidewalks to the Jade District west of 82nd Avenue on SE Tibbetts Street. That work will provide sidewalk infill where some blocks lack consistent pedestrian pavement down to SE 78th Avenue. Road crews will also repave SE Tibbetts Street from SE 78th to 80th Avenues. North of the Jade District, PBOT plans to create bike lanes on SE Thorburn Street and remove a travel lane in each direction. That work will also create a bike lane on SE Washington Street while retaining much of the existing street parking on both sides of SE Washington Street for a critical two-block segment. The road striping plan will replace removed curbside parking on SE Washington with bike-lane-adjacent parking from SE 76th to 80th Avenues to create a protected buffer for the five-foot-wide curbside cyclist route. Driving lane reductions on SE Thorburn Street and parts of SE Gilham Avenue will create space for a painted bike lane on the northwest traveling side of the road and a raised concrete traffic separator-protected bike lane on the southeast traveling side with space for an on-pavement pedestrian track where missing sidewalks have previously challenged pedestrian access.

  • New sidewalk and corner curb ramps on the southwest corner of SE 85th Ave and SE Clinton St
  • New sidewalk northwest corner of SE 84th Pl and SE Clinton St
  • New sidewalk and corner curb ramps on the southeast corner of SE 84th Pl and SE Clinton St

Almost a decade ago, the City identified the importance of better pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure in Montavilla and the Jade District. This multimodal improvement project demonstrates the impact of community participation in city infrastructure planning efforts and highlights the time it takes to develop actionable plans with adequate funding. Together, the collection of enhancements costs $9,094,000 but should not impact general fund shortfalls in Portland’s budget for the next fiscal year, which starts in July. Money for these improvements comes from $3,200,000 in Federal funds, with an additional $4,900,000 from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocations. PBOT will source the remaining $994,000 from System Development Charges paid by developers. This work should significantly improve access within two critical commercial centers and add to general safety for those traveling outside a car. Look for construction in Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project zones to continue through 2025.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Greg Beddor – SEO Specialist, an Oregon based digital marketing consultancy. The company markets customer’s websites and provide SEO services to grow their business. We thank them for their support.

Construction, Infrastructure, Transportation

Fubonn’s SE 85th Entrance Creating Connections

During peak times, traffic accessing the Fubonn Shopping Center at 2850 SE 82nd Avenue can snarl the signalized intersection leading to its parking lot. Until recently, this was the only vehicle access to the 7.49-acre property. Over the last four years, the retail complex owners have looked for solutions to improve access for shoppers traveling to the popular destination by car, bike, and on foot. Those efforts have focused on adding another commercial driveway to the back of the property leading onto SE 85th Avenue. Concerns about letting commercial traffic onto a primarily residential street and bike route without consistent sidewalks have delayed those plans. However, infrastructure changes to SE 85th Avenue underway make eastern site access more appealing, and the community located east of SE 82nd Avenue will gain new sidewalks with easy access to a local grocery store and shops.

Construction workers installing infrastructure for a new driveway at Fubonn Shopping Center, with machinery and equipment visible in the background.
SE 85th Ave Fubonn entrance construction

Contractors completed construction on a secondary driveway in April, creating access to the east side of Fubonn Shopping Center from SE 85th Avenue. Designers located the new entrance on the northeastern corner of the expansive shopping complex. Crews removed a tree and heavy vegetation that blocked the rear approach to the property. Up to this point, people accessing the site from the east could only walk onto the property via a hard-to-find pedestrian entrance. Visiting Fubonn from SE 85th Avenue was made more difficult for pedestrians because of the lack of sidewalks in the area. That will change in the coming year thanks to the Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project, which will create sidewalks from SE Division Street to SE Powell Boulevard along SE 85th Avenue, with roadway repaving between SE Clinton and Brooklyn Streets. Crews working on this project anticipate starting work in spring and will also add new sidewalks on SE Clinton Street from SE 84th to 87th Avenues.

Newly constructed entrance to Fubonn Shopping Center from SE 85th Avenue, featuring freshly paved access road, traffic cones, and surrounding greenery.
SE 85th Ave Fubonn entrance completed

The improved street infrastructure will assist people in safely driving, walking, or rolling to their destinations. The new eastern entrance at Fubonn will likely be a key destination for area residents and people trying to avoid congestion along SE 82nd Avenue. Several community members have expressed excitement for the calmer entrance to the local destination. “We’re really happy that we can now access all of the shopping and restaurants inside of Fubonn without having to walk along 82nd,” explained area resident Stephen Udycz. He acknowledges that some of his neighbors are apprehensive about increased traffic on the residential street but expects that sidewalks and a redirected bicycle Greenway will address those worries. In listening to community concerns, engineers of this project examined alternative Fubonn site access from the north streets that dead-end against the property. However, those streets are insufficient for through traffic and sit above grade to the parking lot surface, meaning roadcrews would need to build ramps or regrade the street for entry from the north of the property. Those costly and disruptive changes make alternative secondary access points unfeasible, leaving only the SE 85th Avenue option viable.

Aerial view of the Fubonn Shopping Center showing the new eastern entrance from SE 85th Avenue, along with nearby SE Taggart and SE Woodward streets.
Image from PBOT’s 82nd Avenue Critical Fixes Draft Final Concept Design – May 2024

Crews constructed Fubonn’s new eastern entrance under temporary approval to help maintain business access during planned construction along its SE 82nd Avenue frontage. The 82nd Avenue Critical Fixes: Major Maintenance Project includes signal reconstruction at SE Woodward Street and 82nd Avenue with corner reconstruction featuring Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant curb ramps. Crews will also install a traffic separator and median island south of the intersection to create predictable left turns and plant trees mid-street, cooling the temperature along the roadway. In preparation for this work, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) removed sidewalk-planted street trees that the city says would not survive construction planned in the work zone. A month ago, workers fell six trees along Fubonn’s frontage, clearing the way for sidewalk repair and other planned road work. This construction will likely impact access to the shopping center at several points during the project, requiring the new alternate access from SE 85th Avenue to keep the shopping center operational.

Architectural plan of the new driveway entrance for Fubonn Shopping Center from SE 85th Avenue, featuring parking layout and pedestrian access routes.
Site map from LU 24-038007 showing driveway on at northeast corner and new pedestrian pathway

The owners of Fubonn intend to make the SE 85th Avenue driveway permanent with the city’s approval. Traffic Engineers with Mackenzie Inc. conducted road usage studies and concluded that the added traffic volume from a new entrance would be under the threshold for a local access street. The city’s planned relocation of the Neighborhood Greenway from SE 85th Avenue to SE 87th Avenue in this area should also lessen traffic’s impact from the site’s new entrance. The scheduled addition of continuous sidewalks on SE 85th from SE Division Street to SE Powell Boulevard will help insulate pedestrians from increased traffic traveling to the Fubonn shopping center and allow residents not traveling by car to have more ways to move east-west in an area during business hours. Preliminary proposals for eastern access to the property will also help facilitate foot traffic. Those plans show a new pedestrian pathway from the yet-to-be-created sidewalk that lets people walk a marked and protected pathway to the eastern entrance of the building through the parking lot.

View of a street along SE 85th Avenue showing a recently cut tree stump, a vehicle in traffic, and an electrical box on the sidewalk.
April 4, 2025, SE 82nd Ave Trees freshly felled in front of Fubonn

The Fubonn Shopping Center has long needed a second entrance based on its size and site orientation. Its front entrance is often crowded with cars trying to find a parking space, while the back lot remains underutilized. It also should connect the residents east of the center with a walkable resource for fresh food and other services. Residents along SE 82nd Avenue could see sidewalk construction in the coming months, and visitors to Fubonn can now use the new vehicular entrance during shopping center hours. Drivers should use caution in the area as pedestrians and cyclists must share the road until cement masons create new sidewalks and safety infrastructure.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Demolition, New Residence

Duplex with Parking on SE 84th

On April 24th, demolition crews began removing the modest 1956-era single-story home at 1542 SE 84th Avenue to make way for a duplex with onsite parking. Developer Ethan Knudson is on the second iteration of redevelopment plans, adjusting designs around Portland’s rules to include attached garages in the new housing.

Knudson bought the deteriorating property last summer, intending to build two detached single-family houses. Ahead of developing plans, his team met with the Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) staff to review their proposal and understand what is allowed on the 50-foot-wide lot. “I had a conversation with [city staff], a whole land use team, and the people who handle this for me. We initially sat down with them, and I said, ‘I need garages because this is not two blocks from everything.’ People are going to have to drive,” said Knudson. “And the city said, ‘We don’t allow garages on skinny houses anymore.'” Knudson explained that the city had told him the restriction was regarding street-facing vehicle storage on slender homes and that he could instead build a shared driveway between the two 15-foot-wide houses with garages in the back of each residence. After his architect had created those plans, they checked back with city officials to ensure they met their approval. Knudson said that another group of city staff told them that his designed garages would not work because vehicles had insufficient space to turn around behind the homes on either side of the center driveway.

1956-era single-story home with green siding and a garage, featuring a moss-covered roof and overgrown vegetation in the front yard.
1542 SE 84th Ave before demolition (Jacob Loeb)

That new information meant that architects would need to redraw the plans, and the design team had only one option for a project that included attached garages. Portland’s updated parking and onsite vehicle storage rules restrict excessive attached garages on street-facing walls. It says the length of the garage wall facing the street may be up to 50 percent of the total length of the street-facing building facade. However, if any or all the units in a multiunit development are less than 22 feet wide, the limitation applies to the total length of the street-facing facades. The duplex’s common wall construction removed the need for a five-foot setback from the adjoining property line, allowing each home to span 20 feet, making a 10-foot wide garage permissible.

This change in design will add to the floor space of the units, and each home will remain on its own lot, but the structures will touch. Knudson is working with Zed Design to create distinct looks for the two homes, visually separating them. “I’m going to make sure the frontage still looks the best we can, like independent houses, so that it doesn’t look like a duplex,” said Knudson. The builders will do this through the use of different siding materials and other architectural elements.

Demolition of a 1956 single-story home with a partially removed wooden garage, surrounded by greenery and neighboring houses.
1542 SE 84th Ave during demolition (Jacob Loeb)

The three-bedroom homes will have two full bathrooms on the second floor, one each serving as the owner’s ensuite, and an open-concept first floor with half-bathrooms. Knudson says he likes to minimize the long front hallway –often found in skinny homes– making space for a sizable entryway with seating to put on shoes and coats. The previous design with parking in the back would have allowed for more activity at the front of the houses. Now, the living room sits at the back of the main level with a fireplace and sliding door leading to a backyard patio. Designers placed the C-shaped kitchen in the middle of the ground floor behind the garage and across from a walk-in pantry. The larger front bedroom above the garage offers a walking closet with natural light, and residents will have a full-size laundry room on the second floor.

Blueprints of a proposed duplex layout, featuring two units with garages, porches, and open-concept designs, along with detailed dimensions and room labels.
84th Ave Duplex floor plan and elevation by Zed Design courtesy Ethan Knudson

Knudson is working with his team to create an interesting driveway leading to the attached garages at the front of the duplex. He explained it would feature a decorative finish similar to what people apply inside high-end garages but on the outside slab. The team wants the project to stand out but priced at an attainable rate for home buyers with a growing family who need more bedrooms and a place to park the family car. In Knudson’s experience as a developer, not having onsite vehicle storage is a detractor for home buyers. “Losing those garages knocks off $100,000 in value for the whole development. Garages are super important, even if it’s just for a storage unit. A lot of people don’t actually use a garage as a garage,” remarked Knudson.

A demolition site with a large pile of debris from a demolished home, surrounded by protective black fencing, and neighboring houses in the background.
1542 SE 84th Ave demolished (Ethan Knudson)

With the old building removed, KL Excavation crews will begin leveling the lot and preparing the site for underground utilities and foundation work. Knudson plans to finish the homes with stone countertops and custom cabinetry. He says his experience and connections help keep costs down while providing quality finishes for his housing. Knudson looks forward to working on more projects in the area and is excited for local residents to see the expanded housing he is offering, which he anticipates will blend in well with the neighborhood.

by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Otter Wax, a neighborhood producer of small-batch specialty goods handcrafted in Portland. Using only natural ingredients, they make modern care products that are steeped in tradition. We thank them for their support.

Construction, Demolition, Top 2025

Work on SE Stark Chick-fil-A Underway

In April, crews began converting an adult entertainment venue into Portland’s first Chick-fil-A restaurant within city limits since the Lloyd Center food court location closed in 2003. This project dates back to May 2022, when the national fast food chain explored development at 9950 SE Stark Street, opting to renovate the original structure to maintain its nonconforming use of the existing site. The 1984-era structure previously hosted Rax Roast Beef, Tony Roma’s, and Hooters restaurants before converting to Mystic Gentlemen’s Club and later Venue Gentlemen’s Club.

View of a partially renovated building under construction, with exposed wooden structure and fencing around the site, located on SE Stark Street.
9950 SE Stark Street stripped to its studs ahead of renovation (Jacob Loeb)

Complete demolition of the building would have required denser use of the rezoned property and prohibited the use as a single-story restaurant, so workers stripped the building down to its studs and repurposed existing structural elements in the new design. This property is in the Gateway Urban Renewal Area, which city planners hoped would become a second downtown. The Gateway District is predominantly zoned as Central Commercial (CX). City planners expect new developments in this area to maximize density and encourage urban activities. The CX zone allows projects with tall buildings placed close together. Developers working in this zone should create pedestrian-oriented structures that strongly emphasize a safe and attractive streetscape. To avoid the minimum density requirements in the CX zone, the Chick-fil-A on SE Stark Street must reuse the original building. Portland allows noncomplying use within a zone when the building predates the new standards and only expects zone compliance to occur when property owners significantly redevelop the site. The status of nonconforming structures is not affected by changes in ownership or tenants. The project’s initial demolition and drive-thru-oriented redevelopment plan would have needed to adhere to the CX standards. This renovation plan will create a Chick-fil-A that is different from most of the restaurant’s other locations without a drive-through option, but it will retain nonconforming status by maintaining the usage pattern of previous tenants.

  • April 2025 (Jacob Loeb)
  • January 2025 (Jacob Loeb)

An early morning fire at the location on January 4th  almost hampered redevelopment plans. However, Portland Fire & Rescue’s quick response kept the damage to a minimum and preserved most of the structure. This event was just one of the obstacles this project faced over the years. Chick-fil-A remained committed to buying this property even as its storied history played out in court with a 32-year-old man found guilty this month for a deadly shooting at this location in April 2024.

Firefighters responding to an emergency at the Venue Gentlemen's Club building, showcasing the structure's exterior with a sign and emergency lighting.
Firefighters working outside the shuttered Venue Gentlemen’s Club entrance. Photo by Dennis Weis, courtesy PF&R.

Over the next few months, crews will rework the facade and roof to incorporate a new entry vestibule. Sidewalk improvements around the site will join updates to the parking lot and ramp additions to increase accessible entry to the restaurant. Workers will restructure the interior with an all-new layout, including restrooms, a play area, a sit-down dining room, and kitchen space to meet the Chick-fil-A standards. People should anticipate sidewalk and lane closures around the property as workers transform this site. After crews complete the renovation, area residents should expect increased traffic around the property border by SE Stark Street, Washington Street, and 99th Avenue. The chicken-centric fast food company tends to draw many patrons, and its lack of drive-through service may exceed its onsite parking capacity, diverting drivers into other area parking. However, the property will have a designated “Delivery Drivers” area for app-based service providers taking orders directly to customers offsite.

Although the building will mostly retain its original footprint and parking lot, people should soon see a different level of customer interaction at this site, and it has the potential to draw in new visitors from the adjacent Interstate 205 commuter looking for a quick meal. Increased visitors at one location can improve surrounding locations’ sales but may also draw customers from local competitors. Chick-fil-A’s impact on the Gateway District will take years to materialize. Still, people have expressed appreciation for the change in business at that location and will appreciate seeing the site more active.

Update January 1, 2026: Construction is nearly complete and the franchisee anticipates opening the location in early 2026.

Exterior view of a Chick-fil-A restaurant under construction, featuring a fenced area, signage, and an entryway with large windows. The surrounding street includes sidewalk improvements and traffic signals.

By

Jacob Loeb

Correction: The article was updated to acknowledge the Lloyd Center food court location that closed in 2003.

Construction, Infrastructure

Pushing NE Davis to 100th Ave

Road crews are forming a new segment of NE Davis Street extending from NE 99th Avenue to 100th Avenue. Cement masons have already created the center section of new wide sidewalks, leaving tree wells open for future street trees and electrical conduit stubs for lighting. Work will next focus on constructing new sidewalk corners with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps. After completing the sidewalk structure, contractors will lay the asphalt for this new local access street.

Over the last several months, contractors working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) have rebuilt 600 feet of NE 97th Avenue and built a new road segment reconnecting Portland’s street grid east of Interstate 205, between East Burnside and NE Glisan Streets. The recently created segment of NE Davis Street extending from NE 97th Avenue to NE 99th Avenue is not yet open to through traffic but stands complete with signage. The improved streets are part of the NE 97th Avenue Phase II and Couch/Davis Street Local Improvement District (LID). Money for the LID comes from adjacent property owners and tax increment financing from the Gateway Urban Renewal Area, with some additional funding paid by transportation system development charges collected from other developments. PBOT will cover overhead costs related to managing the project components.

Graphic courtesy PBOT showing the phase 2 street extension

Creating a street grid with shorter blocks and wider infrastructure in this area could facilitate redevelopment anticipated by the Gateway Urban Renewal Area project, which city planners hoped would create a second downtown in the Gateway District. Outside several affordable housing projects built in the district and transit upgrades, few large-scale projects have broken ground, and some property owners placed their holdings in the area for sale. However, this road work will help current street users navigate a section of Portland boxed in by a busy NE Glisan Street, East Burnside Street light rail tracks, and Interstate 205. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians will all have better north-south routes away from busy streets.

Road crews are progressing quickly on NE Davis Street’s extension from NE 99th Avenue to 100th Avenue. When completed, people will find spacious sidewalks with a growing tree canopy. Pedestrians will travel a shorter distance between curb ramps crossing the new streets thanks to the many extended corners that push out into the parking lane. This infrastructure helps people remain visible and spend less time exposed to traffic. Parked cars along the curb also benefit from the concrete bulb-out that guides turning drivers towards the street’s travel lanes and away from stored vehicles. People should expect continued construction in this area and use caution driving on NE 99th and 100th Avenues, as crews may need to close lanes during working hours.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Greg Beddor – SEO Specialist, an Oregon based digital marketing consultancy. The company markets customer’s websites and provide SEO services to grow their business. We thank them for their support.

Construction, Infrastructure

Underground Prep for the Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Project

In late March and into April, crews working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) began preparing sections of the Jade District for the Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project, which will replace gravel streets and under-built pedestrian routes with new paved roads and sidewalks. This work will improve access along SE 85th Avenue and SE Clinton Street for all road users in the area and give people traveling outside a car the calmer parallel path to 82nd Avenue that residents have requested for years.

The first phase of work happens below ground before crews begin work on the pavement or sidewalks. Gravel roads and streets without curbs often lack stormwater management. Surrounding soil at the street’s edge absorbs rainwater runoff from impervious surfaces on those streets. Before crews construct a curb and sidewalk, workers must lay a network of pipes to collect stormwater and direct it away from the sidewalk into a sump for ground absorption or a water treatment system. Heavy equipment is on-site, ready to place the large precast concrete maintenance hole and sump segments into their subterranean locations. Stacks of blue PVC pipes line the streets staged for workers to use when connecting stormwater catch basins to the rainwater handling system.

Graphic courtesy PBOT

After workers establish the network of underground pipes, crews will create sidewalks from SE Division Street to SE Powell Boulevard along SE 85th Avenue, with roadway repaving between SE Clinton and Brooklyn Streets. This project will also add new sidewalks on SE Clinton Street from SE 84th to 87th Avenues, with crews converting the existing gravel road to a modern street surface from SE 84th Place to 87th Avenue. West of 82nd Avenue, SE Tibbetts Street will receive sidewalk infill where some blocks lack consistent pedestrian pavement down to SE 78th Avenue. Most sidewalks in the project area will receive updated Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps. Road crews will also repave SE Tibbetts Street from SE 78th to 80th Avenues.

  • SE Clinton at SE 87th looking west
  • SE Clinton at SE 85th looking west

Portlanders living in this area have requested these projects for years. The gravel sections of SE Clinton Street are well-traveled, creating dust clouds in the summer or a muddy mess in the winter. Pedestrians and cars often compete for the same space, making local access inconvenient. This work is part of a larger project that will add bike lanes on SE Thorburn and Washington Streets, along with other pedestrian safety upgrades. Money for these improvements comes from $3,200,000 in Federal funds, with an additional $4,900,000 from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocations. PBOT will source the remaining $994,000 from System Development Charges (SDCs) paid by developers. Portland must spend grant money on the projects they were awarded instead of maintenance. However, the improvements made here also reduce some of the maintenance backlog without tapping into the general budget and should be a net positive for all street users.

Article and photos By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Otter Wax, a neighborhood producer of small-batch specialty goods handcrafted in Portland. Using only natural ingredients, they make modern care products that are steeped in tradition. We thank them for their support.

Community, Construction, Top 2025

1818 SE 82nd Ave Meeting Apr 17

On April 17th, Multnomah County’s Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) will host its second community meeting, seeking public input regarding the alternative shelter planned at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue. The event will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Portland Community College Southeast Campus’s Community Hall at 2305 SE 82nd Avenue. Attendees should pre-register for this open community meeting through the online RSVP form. Participants will learn more about the project and have opportunities to provide feedback to planners.

This proposed shelter site will have a capacity for up to 38 adults living in sleeping pods. Six converted shipping container units will provide office space for staff, participant services, hygiene facilities, kitchenette amenities, and laundry facilities. Residents and their pets will have onsite access to green space. The site will receive upgraded fencing with privacy inserts on all street sides and a wood fence between the adjacent residential property to the east. New designs from earlier this year also relocated the planned garbage recycling building and parking further away from the eastern property line.

  • Feb 2025 Design – courtesy JOHS
  • Dec 2024 Design – courtesy JOHS

Onsite parking offers eight spaces for staff and visiting service providers only. Operators will reserve two of those stalls for vehicles with accessibility permits. This configuration differs from the other county-owned shelter, Oak Street Village, which is located several blocks north of this site and features significant resident parking. Crews working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) began constructing new sidewalks on SE Mill Street east of SE 82nd Avenue. They have completed most of the work along the future shelter site’s Mill Street frontage and will soon work on the north side of the street before repaving. These sidewalks will be a welcome addition for the parents and students who often use SE Mill Street as a route to the two nearby schools.

The JOHS has yet to announce a service provider to offer 24-hour support for shelter residents. The County representatives have said they intend to open this location by the end of 2025. Presenters at the April 17th meeting will likely offer updated plans, more details about who will operate the site, and other operational information.

Note: On July 1st, the JOHS will take on its new name and be known as the Multnomah County Homeless Services Department (HSD)

Construction, Infrastructure, Transportation

Finishing Portland’s Newest Street

Road crews met the rising sun on March 29th, preparing for a weekend of asphalt work in the Gateway District. Over the last several months, contractors working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) have built a new road segment reconnecting Portland’s street grid east of Interstate 205 and between East Burnside and NE Glisan Streets. Crews have already covered most of the new roadway’s surface with an asphalt binder layer formed with larger aggregate over a sub-base of crushed rocks. Crews leveled the oil-bound base just below the concrete gutter’s edge to allow space for the bitumen-laden topcoat made of finer rocks, creating a smooth surface that fights water penetration.

This work is one of the final steps before the new segment of NE Davis Street and the reconstructed section of NE 97th Avenue open for traffic. Sidewalks are nearly complete, with street trees planted and traffic signs ready to guide drivers through the new traffic patterns. Motorists have not had access through NE 97th from East Burnside Street for months as work in the area was underway. After it reopens, southbound drivers will need to adjust their behavior, unable to continue past NE Davis Street as the reconstructed road is one-way northbound from East Burnside to NE Davis Street. People will instead need to head east to NE 99th Avenue to turn right onto East Burnside Street.

This traffic pattern better aligns with the complex track crossing at East Burnside and 97th Avenue. The Max Blue Line tracks turn 90 degrees eastward at this junction from an I-205 alignment to tracks situated between East Burnside Street. Although past traffic signals warned drivers of a light rail crossing conflict, nothing could prevent a driver from making a right turn into the way of an approaching train obscured until the last moment by a freeway sound wall. Bicycle and pedestrian crossings at this point have changed so that westbound people outside of cars can cross at the midpoint of the MAX track turn radius. This placement allows greater conflict visibility for train operators and the people crossing. The realignment also makes a better connection point for the I-205 Multiuse path that runs along the freeway sound wall at this segment of the multimodal route.

New westbound bike and pedestrian crossing of MAX tracks placed midturn

When the streets fully reopen later this year, people will enjoy the wider sidewalks with a multitude of street trees, extended curbs for shorter crosswalks, and modern streets. The area has new street lights for nighttime safety and plenty of curbside parking spaces. What is missing is the intended redevelopment for this area, which city planners hoped would create a second downtown in the Gateway District. Outside several affordable housing projects built in the area and transit upgrades, few large-scale projects have broken ground, and some property owners have placed their holdings in the area for sale.

New segment of NE Davis St with sidewalks, lighting, curb parking, and street trees.

Street grid work in this area will continue eastward, with another block of NE Davis Street planned from NE 99th Avenue to 100th Avenue. People accessing NE 97th Avenue will notice a closed-off eastward street stub between NE Davis Street and East Burnside Street for a future one-block segment of NE Couch Street. Those new streets are part of the second phase of the NE 97th Avenue Phase II and Couch/Davis Street Local Improvement District (LID). Money for the LID comes from adjacent property owners and tax increment financing from the Gateway Urban Renewal Area, with some additional funding paid by transportation system development charges collected from other developments. PBOT will cover overhead costs related to managing the project components.

Crews have closed East Burnside Street from 94th Avenue to 99th Avenue for weekend roadwork in addition to the months-long closures related to this work. Detours will remain in place on East Burnside through 5 a.m. on Monday, March 31st. Continuing evening work will close this section of East Burnside for three nights from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. April 2nd through the 4th. People should anticipate delays and obey instructions on signs or from the crew on site.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb