Category: Infrastructure

Community, Construction, Infrastructure October 2, 2026October 2, 2026

Solar Array on Bird Alliance 82nd Ave Property

Renewable energy specialists are installing a new solar panel array on the grassy, sloped southern edge of a former landfill along NE 82nd Avenue, now owned by Bird Alliance of Oregon. Once complete, the community solar array will reduce utility costs for 140 low-income Portlanders through a collaboration with APANO, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and other partners. The new energy source at 2800 NE 82nd Avenue uses the site’s topography to receive year-round sun exposure while staying low to the ground, making the installation less visible, particularly as the nonprofit continues habitat restoration on its 12.49-acre property purchased in 2024.

A field with tall grass in the foreground, featuring solar panels in the background, surrounded by trees under a clear sky. — *_{Top edge of solar array on Bird Alliance 82nd Ave property extending just above grass}*

Crews have placed over half of the solar panels on a metal gridwork that supports them. Most people passing the site will not see all of the units, which sit a few feet above the ground, with views blocked by the adjacent People’s Courts pickleball facility. However, they will contribute 800 kW of renewable energy to the grid. The array operators expect credits from the electricity generated at the site to reduce participant low-income households’ energy bills by up to 40%. Portland Pacific Power customers who directly pay their own utility bill and earn up to 80% of Oregon’s Median Income can apply to APANO’s community solar project as a low-income subscriber and potentially receive credits on their utility bill. The organization describes community solar as a way for people historically left out of traditional solar to benefit without buying their own solar panels. APANO also has a Residential Rooftop Solar program that uses Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) money to install solar panels for homeowners. That program launched to serve 14 homes, while this latest effort should support 140 power ratepayers.

Solar panels installed on a hillside, surrounded by trees and a chain-link fence, with graffiti on a wall in the foreground. — *_{Solar array on Bird Alliance 82nd Ave property seen from NE Russell St}*

This new activity follows habitat restoration and the demolition of long-abandoned structures. For decades, this overgrown field was known for the graffiti-covered remnants of a golf driving range built on top of a landfilled quarry. For most passersby, all they observed was an abandoned building at 2806 NE 82nd Avenue, situated next to a tall, grassy field. Hidden inside the overgrown brush was the collapsing structure of a half-moon driving range. Several fires in the former “Pro Shop” administrative building on NE 82nd Avenue complicated its demolition. However, in September 2025, crews completed removing this site’s golfing past.

PCEF supported construction of this community solar array across NE 82nd Avenue from McDaniel High School as its seventh community solar project. It is one of the first public benefits planned for the Bird Alliance of Oregon site, which will host nature trails and a wildlife hospital that should provide educational opportunities for area students. Work on the solar array is proceeding quickly and should be visibly complete within the coming weeks. More visible changes to the site will continue over the coming years.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure September 23, 2026September 22, 2026

New Half Paved SE 89th Segment

Heavy equipment is on-site at SE 89th Avenue, north of Brooklyn Street, grading the former gravel road ahead of crews laying asphalt. This segment of city street was never paved in its over 100 years of existence, connecting to SE 90th Place. Now a 40-unit complex at 2905 SE 89th Avenue is nearing completion, and contractors with that project will create a modern street on the west side of the road with a sidewalk buffered by a curbside planting strip. The new curb will channel rainwater toward a low spot on the hill, where a recently installed stormwater inlet will collect rainwater from the paved street section.

Construction site with heavy machinery on a gravel road, surrounded by newly built residential buildings and trees.

The Jade apartments broke ground in January 2025 as a joint venture between APANO and Gorman & Company on a 1.1-acre property. The nearly complete building at the SE 89th Avenue site will offer affordable family apartments in a dual-courtyard configuration. Development at this scale in Portland requires builders to create sidewalks, stormwater management, and a paved road to city standards. This work often only extends to the center line of the street along the property’s frontage. However, the work underway now will pave 20 feet from the new curb towards the center of the road and extend about 100 feet north and south, widening to connect with existing pavement. Eric Jacobson with Gorman & Co. explained that the improved street will flare out to the full road width where it connects with the paved SE 89th Avenue at SE Brooklyn Street and SE 90th Place.

A gravel road with potholes and puddles, flanked by green and blue trash bins, leading to a residential area in the background. — *_{SE 89th Avenue gravel road with potholes looking north from Brooklyn St in 2025}*

Oregon Metro owns the property along the east side of the street in this area. It purchased the 1.46-acre property in July 2025 for planned Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). Community advocates have long envisioned the large Metro-owned property as a neighborhood park. Organizers will hold an open house on October 1st about community interests, including public green space in that development. That site’s redevelopment will include street paving and sidewalk frontage improvements on the east side of SE 89th Avenue with new sidewalks that should wrap around the corner lot along its frontage on SE 90th Place, which is paved but lacks curbs and sidewalks in most places in this area.

Construction site with a dug-up road, yellow caution tape, a fire hydrant, and construction equipment in the background. — *_{West sidewalk on SE 89th Ave looking south from existing sidewalk towards new sidewalk path}*

This month, cement masons working on the new curbs and pedestrian infrastructure will add six-foot-wide sidewalks on the west side of the street, adjacent to the Jade Apartment development, connecting to the existing sidewalk to the north. They have also created four-and-a-half-foot-wide planting strips for trees, greenery, and utility poles. Through-traffic along the SE 89th Avenue is blocked between SE Brooklyn Street and SE 90th Place. When completed, this will reconnect the city street grid with a paved north-south route that poor road conditions and large potholes often blocked. Although the street is only partially paved, it should still be wide enough for people to drive, walk, or bike along the mostly paved sections.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure September 2, 2026September 2, 2026

NE Glisan’s New Configuration and Speed Limit

This week, crews with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will continue road work that began on August 19 along NE Glisan Street between NE 82nd and NE 92nd avenues. Drivers in the area are encountering new traffic patterns and slower speeds as re-striping teams add painted bike lanes on completed segments of the project site and new signage arrives from NE 81st to NE 92nd Avenues. Workers have not restored all lane markings to the repaved half of the project site closest to NE 82nd Street. Road users should use extra caution until work is completed and anticipate delays during the 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday work schedule.

*_{New eastbound bike lane segment started on NE Glisan St near NE 83rd Ave (Jacob Loeb)}*

This Fixing Our Streets-funded project included substantial updates to sidewalk corner curb ramps, bringing crossings in this area up to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)- compliant standards. In addition to creating a smoother driving surface for vehicles, this new phase of work will reconfigure the street to remove time-shifting outer lanes used for parking or as an auxiliary travel lane. Collisions occurred on this street where motorists parked cars during allotted times, but drivers may have assumed the outer lane was clear. PBOT engineers anticipate that removing that conflict point will yield significant safety improvements with minimal impact on vehicle throughput.

In January 2021, crews posted new speed limit signs along NE Glisan Street east of 82nd Avenue, reducing top speeds from 35 mph to 30 mph. Then, in March 2024, PBOT lowered speed limits from 30 to 25 mph on NE Glisan Street between NE 57th and 82nd Avenues. Now, 25 mph speed limit signs have expanded eastward towards the Interstate 205 freeway. East- and west-traveling drivers will encounter new shared bike, bus, and right‑turn lanes as they approach NE 82nd Avenue.

The new NE Glisan bike lanes will connect NE 81st Avenue and NE 93rd Avenue. Early concepts for the cycling infrastructure showed the bike lane extending west to NE 80th. However, area business concerns over losing frequently used street parking on that block prompted a design that still helps connect side-street bike routes for people crossing NE 82nd Avenue outside a car, while minimizing impacts to adjacent commercial property users. PBOT planners anticipate further improving the bike infrastructure in 2030 with hardscape concrete dividers and flex posts to protect cyclists riding next to cars. The reconfiguration is happening during this repaving project to save money. Otherwise, contractors would need to grind off existing street markers and repaint as part of the 2030 work.

*_{NE Glisan St existing crossing at NE 87th Ave that crews will upgrade}*

NE Glisan Street, from Interstate 205 to 82nd Avenue, is a notoriously challenging roadway to cross with vehicles driving quickly between the two points. Without any fully signalized intersections on this stretch and with a large hill blocking visibility, it can take an extended period to find a safe break in traffic to cross. Crews working with PBOT will install two new pedestrian crossings with concrete median islands at NE 84th and 90th avenues, along with enhancements to an existing crossing at NE 87th Avenue. These in-roadway waypoints allow pedestrians to cross in two phases, focusing on one direction of traffic at a time, and help drivers better see a person waiting at the high-visibility infrastructure.

In the coming days, crews will grind down the eastern segment of the roadway and lay a fresh road surface. Cyclists should consider safer routes until NE Glisan is fully re-striped, and all street users should plan extra travel time as people adjust to the new configuration and speed limits on this segment of NE Glisan.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Infrastructure August 17, 2026August 17, 2026

NE Glisan Repaving Starts Aug 19th

Road crews will begin repaving NE Glisan Street between NE 82nd and NE 92nd avenues on Wednesday, August 19th. The approximately two-lane-miles of resurfacing work will take an estimated twelve business days to complete as heavy equipment grinds off the damaged top layer of asphalt and lays down a fresh mixture of crushed stone and bitumen. The Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) re-striping plans will create a paint-buffered bike lane next to a single travel lane in each direction and recreate the center turn lane. Cement masons will add two new pedestrian crossing islands along the busy High Crash Street, with an existing crossing at NE 87th Avenue updated to prevent some left turns while better protecting pedestrians and cyclists.

A traffic sign indicating a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists, suspended from a pole, with overcast sky and tree branches in the background. — *_{Existing RRFB on NE Glisan St at 87th Ave}*

This Fixing Our Streets-funded project included substantial updates to sidewalk corner curb ramps, bringing crossings in this area up to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)- compliant standards. Starting in May, Crews working with Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) installed modern stormwater management sump drains under NE Glisan Street at the intersections of NE 91st and 92nd Avenues. In addition to creating a smoother driving surface for vehicles, this new phase of work will reconfigure the street to remove time-shifting outer lanes used for parking or as an auxiliary travel lane. Collisions occurred on this street where motorists parked cars during allotted times, but drivers may have assumed the outer lane was clear. PBOT engineers anticipate that removing that conflict point will yield significant safety improvements with minimal impact on vehicle throughput.

The new NE Glisan bike lanes will add a connection between NE 81st Avenue and NE 93rd Avenue. Early concepts for the cycling infrastructure showed the bike lane extending west to NE 80th. However, area business concerns over losing frequently used street parking on that block prompted a design that still helps people riding outside a car cross NE 82nd Avenue to meet up with side-street bike routes while minimizing impacts to adjacent commercial property users. PBOT planners anticipate further improving the bike infrastructure in 2030 with hardscape concrete dividers and flex posts to protect cyclists riding next to cars. The reconfiguration is happening during this repaving project to save money. Otherwise, contractors would need to grind off existing street markers and repaint as part of the 2030 work.

Aerial map showing a new marked crosswalk with a median refuge island at the intersection of Glisan St and 84th Ave. — *_{NE Glisan Paving and Safety Project 30% Design Concept illustration of NE 84th Ave. Courtesy PBOT}*

NE Glisan Street, from Interstate 205 to 82nd Avenue, is a notoriously challenging roadway to cross with vehicles driving quickly between the two points. Without any fully signalized intersections on this stretch and with a large hill blocking visibility, it can take an extended period to find a safe break in traffic to cross. In 2021, PBOT lowered the speed limit to 30 mph, but that still did not significantly improve crossing safety for people inside or outside a vehicle. The two new pedestrian crossings with concrete median islands at NE 84th and 90th avenues should help pedestrians cross in two phases, where they can focus on one direction of traffic at a time, and drivers can better see a person waiting at the high-visibility infrastructure.

Aerial view of a road intersection showing a newly marked crosswalk with a median refuge island, labeled with street names 90th Ave and 91st Ave. — *_{NE Glisan Paving and Safety Project 30% Design Concept illustration of NE 90th Ave. Courtesy PBOT}*

The NE 87th Avenue crossing already features street-adjacent buttons that activate Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) to signal to drivers that bikes or pedestrians will cross soon. The updates will extend an existing concrete median island east with cutouts for cyclists crossing. This extended mid-street infrastructure will prevent northbound and westbound drivers from turning left at this intersection.

Map showing NE 87th Avenue at Glisan Street with no left turn signs, indicating prohibited left turns for northbound and westbound drivers, and enhancements for a flashing-beacon neighborhood greenway crossing. — *_{Updated median at NE 87th Ave with left turns prohibited for north and west automotive travel. Courtesy PBOT}*

PBOT notes that paving and painting work is weather-dependent, so that project work dates may change. Drivers can expect rougher roads during the grinding and resurfacing process and should anticipate traffic delays with detours from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, with some weekend work. Parking on NE Glisan in the project area will end a few days before work begins, but pedestrian access will remain open. Anyone traveling through the worksite should follow all traffic control signs and flaggers and use heightened caution.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure August 8, 2026August 8, 2026

NE Halsey I-84 Onramp Detoured Aug 11-12

On Tuesday, August 11, and Wednesday, August 12, road crews will close the Interstate-84 Entrance and Eastbound traffic on the overpass above NE 82nd Ave and I-84 for microsurfacing work. Contractors working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will apply a fast‑curing asphalt treatment to the road surface, filling minor ruts and improving the pavement’s condition. During the application process, motorists will need to use temporary detours.

Map diagram showing the intersection and surrounding streets of NE Halsey St, including NE 60th Ave and NE Hoyt St, with red arrows indicating road directions and blue arrows representing turns. — *_{Portland Maps image with MV News notation of detour routes. Red for I-84 Westbound and blue for eastbound Halsey}*

PBOT recommends eastbound drivers on NE Halsey use NE 81st Avenue at the Halsey Street roundabout, then turn onto NE Wasco Street. Next, people can use northbound NE 82nd Avenue to then turn onto NE Jonesmore Street, which reconnects with NE Halsey. Travelers intending to use I‑84 westbound should continue west on NE Halsey, turning south onto NE 60th Avenue, then take a right at NE Glisan Street to access the I‑84 westbound on‑ramp at NE 59th Avenue. Contractors will keep the I‑84 on‑ramp open during peak travel hours, but drivers should be prepared to use the detour if directed to by the onsite crew or signage.

View of a street with a bright green bike lane, traffic cones line the edge, and a construction sign indicating a temporary road condition. — *_{New two‑way protected bike infrastructure on NE Halsey St}*

The two-day project work is just one phase of the overpass updates needed to complete this leg of improvements. Future installation of protective fencing over the bridge, striping of a new two-way bike facility over the bridge, and vertical separation of the two-way bike lane are tentatively anticipated in October 2026. That work will also require temporary lane closures. This activity is part of the NE Halsey Street (80th to 92nd Avenues) – Safety and Access to Transit Project, which aims to improve safety for those traveling outside of cars along this busy High Crash street. The new two‑way protected bike infrastructure on NE Halsey provides a continuous connection from the new mini-roundabout at NE 81st Avenue to NE 92nd Avenue. This upgrade links cyclists directly to existing bike infrastructure and creates new sidewalks for people walking to the NE 82nd Avenue MAX station from the business corridor and nearby residential neighborhoods.

Work schedules are subject to change. PBOT will update reader boards positioned along NE Halsey Street and the project website with the latest schedule information.

Article and phots by

Jacob Loeb

Infrastructure August 5, 2026August 20, 2026

Four Weeks of Groundwater Blending Tests

On Tuesday, August 4th, Portland Water Bureau began adding groundwater from the Columbia South Shore Well Field to the city’s Bull Run-sourced drinking water. Officials are making this change to test well equipment ahead of a likely seasonal need to supplement the water supply. Repeated activations, lasting around 10 hours, ensure crews can repair any deficient equipment before lowering reservoir levels or an emergency triggers a demand for well water. The Bureau says the mixed water can take up to two weeks to work its way through the distribution system, and they will update the public through the media and email when the system returns to 100 percent Bull Run water.

Aerial view of a solar panel installation on green grass, surrounded by trees and buildings, near a river. — *_{Columbia South Shore Well Field. Courtesy Portland Water Burea}*

Portland uses groundwater during the drier months to supply ratepayers year-round, regardless of watershed conditions. Wellwater requires a complex system composed of pumps, chemical feed systems, and electronic controls. Because the bureau activates the alternative water source infrequently, service technicians must test equipment and the delivery network regularly to identify maintenance needs and issues. 40 million gallons of groundwater per day will enter the system on weekdays. People can expect the well water to provide between 0 and approximately 35 percent of the total daily water demand during the four-week service window.

In past years, the Portland Water Bureau blended water sources due to dry springs and early summer weather. Warmer weather patterns and increased water use have made well water a necessary component of the regional water supply. This groundwater system test helps beyond seasonal readiness. Although currently not under threat, the 2023 Camp Creek Fire in the Bull Run Watershed illustrated the need to maintain standby water sources for the Portland metro area. Beyond wildfires, stormwater runoff from heavy rains can also cause turbidity, which may justify the temporary use of well field sources. A Bull Run Filtration Project underway seeks to further protect the water source from event disruption by reducing water quality risks posed by fire, natural disasters, or potential disease-causing microorganisms. The City of Portland must begin delivering filtered water by September 30, 2029, to comply with regulatory requirements.

_{Portland Water Bureau mantanace vehicle}

Even with filtration, groundwater will likely remain a core component of Portland’s water supply. Columbia South Shore Well Fields tap deep aquifers replenished year-round by rainwater. The Bureau assures residents that Portland’s groundwater supply meets or surpasses all federal and state drinking water regulations. However, the Bureau’s policy is to notify the public when activating groundwater sources so sensitive water users can take precautions. After operators revert to entirely Bull Run-sourced water, customers can expect it to take another two weeks for the lines to clear of groundwater.

Sensitive water users can sign up at the Portland Water Bureau’s website to receive notifications regarding changes to the water system. Customers with questions should call the Water Line at 503-823-7525 and watch for updates to this article when Portland’s water system returns to 100 percent Bull Run watershed-sourced water.

Update August 20, 2026: On August 21st, the Portland Water Bureau anticipates returning Portland’s supply to 100 percent Bull Run sourced water after completing the groundwater maintenance operation. It will take up to two weeks, depending on ratepayer’s location, for groundwater to completely leave the supply.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Infrastructure July 25, 2026July 25, 2026

SE Division Crossing Update at 64th Ave

Crews recently prepared concrete forms in the center turn lane of SE Division Street at SE 64th Avenue. This work replaces a temporary pedestrian island installed in 2024 at a high-visibility enhanced crosswalk that connects to a Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) created paved bike path and pedestrian access way leading to Mt. Tabor Park. Cement masons will next pour concrete to create the raised protective infrastructure and construct a level pedestrian holding area at street level.

Construction site with orange traffic cones and caution tape blocking a section of the road in front of a residential building.

Pedestrian Refuge Islands are a nationally recognized tool for transportation engineers looking to assist people crossing a multilane road. It allows a pedestrian or cyclist to focus on one direction of cross traffic at a time and puts a person in a more visible space for drivers who may not notice someone waiting at the far left edge of their field of view. The in-street safety infrastructure also helps slow traffic making turns and causes passing motorists to reduce travel speed as the street narrows. Over the last few years, crews working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) have installed similar pedestrian islands at many locations on this street and 82nd Avenue.

Entrance to Mt. Tabor Park featuring a sign and a paved pathway bordered by trees. — *_{Mt. Tabor Park SE Division St at SE 64th Ave paved bike path and pedestrian path near crossing}*

At the time of the PP&R path opening in April 2024, PBOT installed a temporary pedestrian island at SE 64th Avenue and Division Street, created from plastic delineator wands serving as a visual indicator to motorists of frequent pedestrian activity. Still, it did not provide curb-height infrastructure to further deter vehicles from driving through the space. Funding for this project comes from the Fixing Our Streets program, which allocates funds to replace temporary safety materials with permanent street elements through the Community Street Services category. This is an example of a case where temporary street safety infrastructure serves to prove a concept design and later to secure funds for a more significant investment.

Street view featuring a multi-family building with a sign reading 'Taber Way', a crosswalk, and a traffic sign indicating 'Bikes use X-Walk'. The scene includes parked cars, yellow bollards, and trees along the road under a clear blue sky. — *_{SE Division St at SE 64th Ave crosswalk with temporary pedestrian island in 2024}*

People should anticipate ongoing construction in the area, which may cause brief delays. The pedestrian crosswalk is currently closed during the construction phase. Previous project work in this area reconstructed two curb ramps at the southeast corner of SE 64th Avenue and Division Street to the current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The median island work began on July 13th and will continue for another couple of weeks. People using the street should use caution and follow crew instructions.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure July 15, 2026July 15, 2026

NE Halsey Night Work Adding Color to New Two-way Bike Lane

Contractors working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) began intermittent night painting on NE Halsey Street between NE Jonesmore Street and NE 92nd Avenue the week of July 13th. Crews will use a blowtorch to adhere the green and white bike lane markings needed to activate the new raised concrete protected cycling path. PBOT says drivers should not encounter changes to travel patterns or restricted driveway access during the work, and that the work will not extend through the entire night.

*_{Recently applied green and white bike lane markings on the south side of NE Halsey St}*

This activity is part of the NE Halsey Street (80th to 92nd Avenues) – Safety and Access to Transit Project, which aims to improve safety for those traveling outside of cars along this busy High Crash street. Work follows the recent eastbound nighttime closure of NE Halsey Street over Interstate 84 and NE 82nd Avenue on July 8th and 9th. This week’s work will involve painting the two-way bicycle lanes on the south side of NE Halsey. Some crew activities will create noise; however, PBOT explained in its work notice that the night schedule is necessary due to daytime heat, which can warm the asphalt to a point where the paint cannot properly adhere.

The new two‑way protected bike infrastructure on NE Halsey provides a continuous connection from the new mini-roundabout at NE 81st Avenue to NE 92nd Avenue. This upgrade links cyclists directly to existing bike infrastructure and creates new sidewalks for people walking to the NE 82nd Avenue MAX station from the business corridor and nearby residential neighborhoods.

*_{Completed new sidewalk west of 92nd Ave on the north side of NE Halsey St}*

People can expect this round of overnight work to conclude on July 17th. Pedestrians and cyclists traveling through the area have access to much of the new infrastructure, even as crews install markings to help drivers identify potential conflict points with other street users. Until this project is completed later this year, travelers should use heightened caution on this section of NE Halsey Street, looking for collision points and obeying construction signs or barricades.

Article and phots by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure July 7, 2026July 6, 2026

Two Nighttime Eastbound NE Halsey Closures

Road Crews will shut down eastbound NE Halsey Street over Interstate 84 and NE 82nd Avenue from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8th, and Thursday, July 9th. At the same time, vehicles will need to detour around a closure on westbound NE Jonesmore Street between NE Halsey and 82nd Avenue. Workers will shut down a traffic signal for updates, including pavement marking specialists removing and replacing lane striping at the NE Jonesmore and Halsey Street intersection.

This activity is part of the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) NE Halsey Street (80th to 92nd Avenues) – Safety and Access to Transit Project, which aims to improve safety for those traveling outside a vehicle along this busy High Crash street. Work follows the recent westbound NE Halsey reopening at the new mini-roundabout near NE 80th Avenue.

Aerial map showing traffic patterns and connections at an intersection, with green arrows indicating allowed routes and red arrows indicating restricted movements. — *_{Portland Maps image with MV News illustrations of Nighttime shutdown July 8th to 10th. Green arrowed lines indicate allowed travel durning closure while red shows prohibited paths}*

During overnight closures, eastbound drivers on NE Halsey Street will need to detour onto NE 81st Avenue, turn onto NE Wasco Street, then turn left onto NE 82nd Avenue. To return to NE Halsey, drivers can turn right onto NE Jonesmore Street. Westbound drivers on NE Halsey Street trying to access 82nd Avenue can cross over I-84 and then use the mini-roundabout to take the detour on NE 81st Avenue to NE Wasco Street.

*_{PBOT provided map showing the NE Halsey}*

This phase of road closures will be completed on July 10th. Crews working on this project will implement future lane closures around October 2026, when Microsurfacing work to smooth the I‑84 overpass bridge pavement begins. That closure will also allow the installation of protective fencing on the overpass bridge, lane striping of a new two-way bike track over the bridge, and vertical separation of the two-way bike lane.

PBOT is scheduling this July work during the night to minimize daytime traffic impacts, and driveway access will remain open for all properties in the project area.

Article and photo by

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Infrastructure, Transportation June 23, 2026June 23, 2026

NE Halsey Reopens to Bidirectional Traffic at New Mini-roundabout

In the latter half of June, road crews reopened NE Halsey Street to bidirectional automotive traffic after months of work creating a new mini-roundabout near Interstate 84 and NE 82nd Avenue. Additionally, drivers regained full use of NE 80th and NE 81st avenues at the worksite intersections. Starting on February 16th, westbound motorists on NE Halsey Street were prevented from fully crossing the I-84 overpass as cement masons created the second half of a new mini-roundabout and other contractors built additional street improvements.

Curved road with construction barriers and traffic signs indicating yield, no trucks, and bicycle lane ahead, alongside a modern building. — *_{NE Halsey mini-roundabout approach from NE 81st Avenue.}*

As this work nears completion, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) recently scaled back plans for the NE Halsey Street Safety and Access to Transit Project, postponing a planned intersection improvement at NE 69th Avenue and removing a 150-foot section of new sidewalk and street trees from the project’s scope. PBOT says the $380,000 in cost savings is necessary to meet reduced funding for this project while still maintaining core improvement goals of filling gaps in walking and biking connections on NE Halsey Street from NE 80th to NE 92nd avenues.

Map showing the layout of a roundabout at NE Halsey Street and NE 80th Street, with an off-ramp from I-84 East and the surrounding roadways. — *_{Rendering of NE Halsey roundabout post 2026 update to remove sidewalk section, courtesy PBOT}*

The newly renamed NE Halsey Street (80th to 92nd Avenues) – Safety and Access to Transit Project contains many safety improvements for people walking and biking through the area. Future work will create a dedicated bidirectional cycle path from the mini-roundabout to 92nd Avenue through a challenging section of the City’s street grid carved up by freeway construction decades ago. Work on this project could help reconnect communities cut off by car-focused street infrastructure, while reducing injuries on an identified High Crash street.

Drivers and other street users should use caution around this new infrastructure, as the adjusted traffic pattern could confuse people unfamiliar with the change. The raised concrete center circle is designed with sloped edges so that long vehicles, such as first-responder trucks or buses, can drive over it, treating it as a speed bump when necessary. Look for continued road work east of the mini-roundabout as contractor Interlaken and its subcontractors work along the length of the NE Halsey job site.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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