Category: Infrastructure

Construction, Infrastructure

RRFB Installed on SE Stark

On Monday, January 22nd, crews working along SE Stark Street at 80th Avenue installed rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFB) to aid pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the busy road. Recently, technicians installed RRFB signals mounted to new light poles located one block over on SE Washington Street. This work is part of the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project, which is nearing completion after a year of work.

Crews placed the four RRFB mounting poles on the sidewalk in alignment with SE 80th Avenue’s western crosswalk. Pedestrians and bike riders have separate signal request buttons at these intersections. Cyclists can use buttons mounted on short poles at the curb’s edge, allowing people to activate the flashing lights without dismounting from their bikes. Users traveling on the sidewalk can press buttons mounted near the curb ramp.

Engineers working on the Greenway project implemented extra safety enhancements to the SE Washington Street crossing. In addition to RRFB signals, new pedestrian scale lamp posts will illuminate people waiting to cross at SE 80th Avenue. These lights take the place of the plain metal poles often used for mounting signal hardware. The black powder-coated pole is wider and features a decorative shade placed at a height intended to brighten the sidewalk. Most street lighting in East Portland focuses on illuminating the road surface, often leaving pedestrians in the shadows until they cross. The new lighting on SE Washington Street should make people visible before they exit the sidewalk zone. This lighting upgrade is critical for this intersection because SE Washington is darker than SE Stark Street without the added lights from active businesses.

Crews have not yet activated the RRFBs at both intersections. Electricians must finish connecting the equipment through the underground conduit installed earlier in the project. Until then, pedestrians and cyclists should continue to use extreme caution at these intersections, mainly because they lack high-visibility crosswalk markings and drivers often fail to yield. Look for work on the safer crossing to continue over the coming weeks.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Community, Infrastructure

First Winter Storm of 2024 Causes Damage

A winter storm that began on Friday night started slow but delivered bitter-cold temperatures and heavy winds, toppling trees and damaging utility lines. As of Sunday night, many residents suffering from an outage have regained power, but trees continue to fall as the frozen ground shows no signs of thawing and winds pick up again. Meteorologists predicted up to eight inches of snow on Saturday. However, the winds and cold did more to disrupt travel than the few inches of precipitation that fell. Whole trees and falling limbs snapped power lines and uprooted gas lines, sending repair crews across the Portland Metro area.

On Saturday, a downed tree by Ascension Catholic Church at 743 SE 76th Avenue damaged power lines, cutting service to homes and traffic lights. The traffic signals for SE Stark and Washington Streets at SE 76th Avenue fell dark, and crews closed SE 76th from SE Washington to Yamhill Street. This tree fell across the road, landing on a Portland Police vehicle and the church’s fence. Officers were not inside this patrol car when the tree fell, and no injuries were reported, according to Portland Police. Crews worked on this repair overnight, returning service to most affected customers on Sunday.

Also, on Saturday, crews with NW Natural closed part of NE 74th Avenue due to a downed tree that uprooted a gas line. Like the SE 76th Avenue tree, the rootball broke free of the frozen ground, sending the tree across the roadway. People saw similar damage throughout Portland, with some Montavilla residents suffering damage to their homes by falling trees.

Currently, the Fred Meyer Grocery store at 6615 NE Glisan Street is without utility power but operating on standby generators. Customers can still shop but with limited departments open and dim light. Most Montavilla Pacific Power Customers have power restored, but over 100 PGE customers in the neighborhood still show a lack of power on the outage map. Utility workers have managed to reconnect thousands of customers. However, winds are returning, and the prolonged low temperatures are freezing pipes. More winter weather is coming, but forecasting models show a warming coming in the latter half of the week. Until then, people should remain prepared for future outages. 

By

Jacob Loeb

Some images in this article were taken by readers and given to Montavilla News to use with their permission.

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Construction, Infrastructure

Lane Closures on SE 82nd and Ash

Crews working for NW Natural Gas closed SE Ash Street at 82nd Avenue this week as they service underground utilities. During this project, traffic cones and flaggers also reduced travel lanes on SE 82nd Avenue as crews operated in the active roadway. The open-trench work comes ahead of more substantial improvements to the protected pedestrian crossing at this intersection.

The 82nd Avenue crossing at SE Ash Street currently has a single pedestrian refuge island at the south crossing. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will replace that older infrastructure with a larger raised median that contains space for street trees or other plantings. This mid-street structure will have cutouts for at-grade pedestrian crossings from both corners of SE Ash Street, but it will prevent automotive through traffic and left turns.

PBOT provided design document

Because this project will impact future underground access and require reconstruction of the sidewalk corners, all subterranean service work needs to occur before paving crews complete the above-ground work. Expect continued construction in this area as various crews come through this intersection to work on their part of the larger project.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure

SE Alder Segment Repaved

Road crews repaved 107 feet of SE Alder Street east of SE 82nd Avenue this week, addressing severe pothole issues. Southbound drivers often use this street to turn left and then circle around to SE Washington Street as traffic separators prohibit left turns onto Washington from 82nd Avenue. This low-cost repair improves drivability on SE Alder but does not address sidewalk and pavement deficiencies on this road.

With the exception of one property’s frontage, SE Alder Street, between 82nd and 84th Avenues, has no curbs or sidewalks. It also features gravel parking lanes in some areas. This street’s pavement is in poor condition between the patched area and SE 86th Avenue, with asphalt only placed at the center of the road’s surface. Gravel fills the remaining distance to the curb, where one exists.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) identified this 36-foot-wide segment of SE Alder Street for repair due to its heavy use and deteriorating condition. In addition to commuters and residents using this street, two used car lots have driveway access from the under-improved road. “SE Alder Street between 82nd and 83rd avenues is an area where we have seen repeated potholes, so we are fixing it with a larger, more durable repair. This will include some replacement of the pavement surface. It will also include some work to repair or replace the base layer underneath the pavement surface, as needed, to make the new surface more durable,” explained PBOT representative Dylan Rivera.

PBOT crews used 100 tons of new asphalt in this project, focusing on the most damaged area and keeping the total cost under $20,000. Rebuilding the road would have cost substantially more. “Adding curbs or sidewalks would require significant planning, engineering design, and construction cost. A capital project like that is orders of magnitude more expensive, often costing millions of dollars for projects that cover multiple blocks at a time,” remarked Rivera. Funding for that scale of work needs to come from new sources, as PBOT has a maintenance backlog that would cost billions to complete.

On this year’s ballot, voters will have the choice to renew a third round of the Fixing Our Streets Program, extending the city’s 10-cent gas tax for another four years. Since 2016, this program has generated funding for basic transportation safety and maintenance services that improved streets and sidewalks across the city. Montavilla has seen recent benefits from the 70s Neighborhood Greenway capital improvement project, which is currently wrapping up construction. PBOT is facing a $32 million budget shortfall this year. If not addressed by the City Council before the fiscal year starts July 1st, bureau administrators will need to cut some maintenance and capital projects.

Drivers can already make use of the newly repaired pavement. PBOT has plans to repave more of SE Alder Street, but that work is for one block west of SE 82nd Avenue, and they have not determined a start date for that project. More improvements to this area could come via funding for the Building a Better 82nd initiative that will address safety and maintenance concerns along Portland’s seven-mile stretch of the road.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the Building a Better 82nd Community Advisory Group

Montavilla News does not endorse candidates or ballot measures.

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Infrastructure

Free TriMet Rides on New Year’s Eve

As revelers head out to celebrate the close of 2023, TriMet once again offers riders fare-free transportation. Starting at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, all bus and MAX trips are free until service ends early on New Year’s Day. For those outside the public transportation service area, the City of Portland has partnered with taxis, Uber, and Lyft to offer discounted rides.

For decades, TriMet has offered free rides to help people get home safely after ringing in the new year. This program removes the cost barrier to transit and extends service into the early hours of 2024 with more frequent trips. Most MAX Lines run until 2 a.m. MAX Blue, Green, Orange, and Yellow lines will run approximately every 30 minutes. MAX Red Line trains will operate on a weekday schedule, with the last Red Line train leaving from Pioneer Square South to Portland International Airport at 12:42 a.m. TriMet buses will run on Sunday schedules for New Year’s Eve.

Image courtesy TriMet

If you miss your bus or train and need a ride, the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Safe Ride Home program has discounts to help. Starting at 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 31st, people can use a discount code posted on the program’s website to save $5 on an Uber or Lyft ride in Portland. Revelers looking for a taxi ride can save $10 off that ride with a paper coupon available at participating locations throughout the city. Montavilla Station at 417 SE 80th Avenue is the neighborhood location offering paper taxi coupons on New Year’s Eve. A complete list of locations is available on the program’s website. Coupons are valid for twelve hours, ending at 4 a.m. on Monday, January 1st, 2024.

Image courtesy the City of Portland

Trimet will again require payment after 3 a.m. on New Year’s Day, implementing new prices. New TriMet fares go into effect on January 1st for those without a monthly pass. This fare change is the first increase in TriMet’s base Adult Fare in more than a decade, and New Year’s Day riders should plan for the added travel costs. TriMet buses, MAX, and Portland Streetcar will operate on Sunday schedules for the January 1st holiday.

People have many ways to celebrate the new year without driving, and it is best to have a plan. However, if that plan falls apart, know your options and never drive impaired or ride with an impaired driver.

By

Jacob Loeb

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the Oregon Department of Transportation was a TriMet partner in providing free transit this year. They were a partner in past years but not currently. Also, TriMet’s free fairs end at 3 a.m. instead of 3:30 a.m. Montavilla News regrets these errors.

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Infrastructure

PBOT Completes NE Glisan Bike Crossing at 78th

On December 27th, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) crews installed two new request buttons for the NE Glisan Street bike crossing at 78th Avenue. Traffic engineers added these buttons at the curb edge, allowing cyclists to activate the rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFB) without dismounting from their bikes. Pedestrians have their own buttons to request the crossing signal on the west sidewalk corners.

PBOT installed an RRFB-controlled crosswalk at this intersection several years ago. Although it has suffered repeated damage over the years, many people have used the flashing beacons to cross NE Glisan safely without needing to walk to a fully signalized intersection several blocks away. Recent NE 78th Avenue crossing updates are part of the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project that intends to create a pedestrian and bike-friendly north/south route. The roadside-accessible RRFB activation buttons and new green-striped markings will help cyclists cross at this point. However, drivers do not always observe the flashing lights, and people should wait for traffic to stop before attempting to cross.

PBOT will install additional RRFBs at two Montavilla crossings for the 70s Neighborhood Greenway. Crews have nearly completed installation on SE Stark and Washington Streets at 80th Avenue. Those crossings can see significant traffic, and residents have wanted safety improvements on both streets for over a decade. Although an RRFB can improve vehicle stopping time for pedestrians – the Federal Highway Administration says motorist yielding rates can be as high as 98 percent, people’s experience in Portland is not always positive using beacons. However, despite many vehicles failing to stop, someone eventually yields, and that will help Greenway users cross faster and safer than if the RRFBs were not there.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure

New Sidewalk Corners and Traffic Patterns on SE Yamhill

Road crews recently demolished the existing sidewalk corners along SE 92nd Avenue at SE Yamhill Street, reconstructing them with improved curb ramps. Six blocks west on Yamhill, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) workers adjusted the traffic pattern at SE 86th Avenue, changing the direction where vehicles stop. Both projects strengthen non-automotive access to area parks and schools.

Southeast corner of SE 92nd Ave and SE Yamhill St waiting for concrete

Cement masons completed work on three of the four sidewalk corners at SE Yamhill and 92nd. They all feature Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant designs with larger landing areas at the top of the new curb ramps. On the west side of SE 92nd Avenue, crews must create short retaining walls to hold back the yards where the expanded sidewalk cuts into an adjacent property. Over the last two years, crews working for PBOT have updated many sidewalk corners along SE 92nd Avenue near Berrydale Park and the connected Portland Public School campus. These updates encourage walking to the two destinations and ensure people of all abilities can use the sidewalk to get where they are going.

BPOT crews made a traffic pattern adjustment west of this intersection to SE 86th Avenue at SE Yamhill Street that supports bicyclists traveling on the Neighborhood Greenway. Previously, vehicles on SE 86th Avenue had to stop at SE Yamhill Street while people on Yamhill could continue driving. Now the two-way-stop is reversed so east/west drivers stop. This intersection control change lets bike riders continue through that intersection without slowing down. PBOT placed “New Traffic Pattern Ahead” signs around the intersection to warn drivers and marked each updated sign with bright-colored double flags to attract attention.

Recent projects on SE 86th Avenue have strengthened safety for Greenway users. A signalized crossing is under construction on this road at SE Washington Street. That update and this traffic pattern change should enhance the utility of the Greenway, particularly for families using it to travel to the nearby parks and schools. Additionally, sidewalk corner reconstruction along SE 92nd Avenue ensures that that route is accessible to all users. Expect more Greenway and corner reconstruction in this area over the next two years, leading up to the Berrydale Park Improvement Project in 2025.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Infrastructure

First of the Year TriMet Fare Increases

Starting January 1st, 2024, TriMet riders will pay higher fares unless they use monthly passes. MAX, Bus, and Streetcar adult users will start paying 30 cents more for 2½-Hour Tickets, bringing the cost to $2.80. Adult Day Passes will also jump by 60 cents to $5.60. Honored Citizen and Youth fares will only increase by 15 cents for the timed tickets and 30 cents for Day Passes. This fare change is the first increase in TriMet’s base Adult Fare in more than a decade. It will help pay for rising costs, including an 11.5% wage increase for transit workers represented by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 757.

With these fare increases, riders have even more incentive to use Hop Fastpass™ cards. TriMet’s Board of Directors capped monthly Passes at $100 for adult riders. Most people only need to buy 18-day passes before earning a monthly pass. Each purchase on a Hop Fastpass™ account builds towards the next ticket level. Honored Citizen and Youth month-long passes cost $28, meaning they only need to ride for ten days before receiving free rides for the remainder of the month.

TriMet’s Board of Directors anticipates a $5.3 million annual increase in fare revenue with these changes. The added money will support increased service levels and help stabilize the transit agency’s finances post-pandemic. As inflation rises, employee compensation needs to grow, particularly for bus driver positions that are hard to fill. A year ago, nearly 80% of TriMet staff represented by ATU 757 received a 7.5% raise. On December 1st, those 2,538 employees received an additional 4% wage increase. ATU 757 workers drive buses, operate trains, perform vehicle and systems maintenance, and support riders.

Logos courtesy TriMet and ATU

Fare increases of any amount are rarely well received by riders. Some transit advocates support fare-less operation, and some US cities are trying it. However, TriMet is not ready to tackle that experiment. Instead, it focused its equity efforts on a reduced fare program serving those at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. TriMet also offers other programs to support riders who may qualify for additional discounts. Accessing those assistance programs is vital for people with mobility issues because riders who use the LIFT paratransit pickup and transport service will also see Single Ride Tickets increase by 30 cents to $2.80.

TrimMet has worked to mitigate the impact of the 2024 fare increases for their frequent users. Digital and physical Hop Fastpass™ cards will save riders money, but casual riders can not avoid paying more per trip. People should factor these changes into their budget for 2024. The increase will be difficult for some people. However, a monthly pass still provides cost savings over car ownership and helps fight traffic congestion.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Government, Infrastructure

County to Vote on SE 82nd Ave Shelter

On December 7th, the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners will hear from Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) staff regarding the alternative shelter planned for 333 SE 82nd Avenue. The presenters are seeking approval to begin building a 29-Pod micro-home facility to shelter up to 40 people experiencing houselessness. Individuals can provide testimony about the project in person, virtually, and in writing before County Commissioners vote. People interested in sharing their perspectives must register by 4 p.m. on Wednesday the 6th.

Montavilla News first reported on Multnomah County’s shelter plans for the former RV sales lot in December 2022. Within the following year, JOHS and the site’s services provider, Straightway Services, adjusted the shelter’s format from a vehicle-based housing arrangement to now include Pallet shelters and onsite parking. Titled Montavilla Community Village, the site will use 29 micro-home buildings with eight units configured with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access. The site’s Kitchen, laundry, offices, and hygiene facilities will reside within six 8-by-20-foot shipping-container-style buildings. All of those structures will be ADA accessible, with the majority of them placed along SE 82nd Avenue, creating a safety buffer for residents.

Site rendering courtesy Multnomah County

County contractors will install privacy slats in the existing 6-foot-high chainlink fence around the site and build a new 8-foot tall wood fence on the western edge of the property between the other residences on the block. The site will feature two covered outdoor seating areas and a green space for pet relief. The existing auto-sales-office structure on the property is in poor condition, and demolition crews will remove it ahead of site redevelopment.

Site plan courtesy Multnomah County

The JOHS proposal includes several community engagement recommendations, including forming a Good Neighbor Agreement with community stakeholders and hosting a public meeting. It also encourages the JOHS to assign a staff person to be the face of community engagement. It recommends many ways for project planners to become more communicative and transparent in the development process through mailings and website communications. County staff need $2,273,611 to redevelop this site as a Community Village shelter and will seek authorization for those funds at this meeting.

The Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners meets at 9:30 a.m. this Thursday and will hear this agenda item after general community comments. Board meetings occur in the Multnomah Building at 501 SE Hawthorne Boulevard in Boardroom 100. People who register for virtual testimony will receive a link or phone number to participate remotely. Anyone interested in watching can view the live stream via the MultCoBoard YouTube channel.

Update December 5th, 5 p.m.: Multnomah County Commissioner for District 3, Julia Brim-Edwards, submitted questions to the JOHS in regards to the presentation materials and posted those questions online for public review.

Update December 6th, 1 p.m.: When filling out comment requests, participants need to indicate they want to speak about Agenda Item R.1

Update December 6th, 7 p.m.: The JOHS asked to postpone this agenda item to anther date after more community engagement.

Update December 7th, 10 a.m.: The Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to postpone the two agenda items related to this project. Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said “The Joint Office (JOHS) has asked to postpone the item on the Montavilla Community Village shelter to allow the current work around community engagement to continue to move forward and take shape. So this request impacts both R1 and R2 on today’s agenda. While this may affect the overall timeline of the project, the commitment to this much needed shelter space is going to continue and I really appreciate the additional time for needed community engagement. The shelter also remains an essential part of the work, serving vulnerable residents in Montavilla and Southeast Portland, so this item will return to the agenda for a vote at a later date before moving forward. I support the request and I ask for a motion for an indefinite postponement.”

County Commissioners Julia Brim-Edwards and Sharon Meieran provided additional comment endorsing the delay to allow for more community engagement. Commissioner Meieran referenced many frustrations with the JOHS communications around this project and looked forward to correcting that ahead of a future vote on the project.

Article and photo by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure

70s Greenway Crossings Progress and Delays

Last week, road crews continued construction on the NE Glisan Street crossing at 78th Avenue to support the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project. However, similar work on NE Halsey Street and 76th Avenue stalled due to a striping contractor’s mechanical difficulty. Other critical crossings on SE Stark and Washington Streets at 80th Avenue remain partially completed and unmarked.

Last week, drivers near NE Glisan Street and 78th Avenue experienced detours and lane closures as crews demolished several feet of the east side of a pedestrian refuge island. This work removed the remnants of a signal pole that had once supported Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB). That signal pole and plastic delineator posts suffered repeated damage from vehicles driving over the island. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) stopped replacing the island-mounted pole in 2021, relying on the RRFBs attached to utility poles on the road’s edge. For years, an orange traffic cone protected the exposed wires on the refuge island. This recent work on NE Glisan Street addresses the exposed wire issue, covering the electrical junction box and removing the pole anchoring bolts. Crews also installed pole-mounted signal request buttons for cyclists to activate without dismounting. Pedestrian refuge island reconstruction could include additional safety measures. However, design documents do not indicate a significant adjustment to the physical attributes of the pedestrian refuge island.

PBOT Provided design document for the NE Glisan Street crossing at NE 78th Avenue.

South of the active Greenway work, construction of two pedestrian refuge islands and a small raised concrete median on NE Halsey Street is likely delayed until next year. In September, cement masons completed reconstructing sidewalk corners and adding mid-block curb ramps for the 70s Greenway crossing at NE Halsey Street and 76th Avenue. Before work can begin on the in-street crossing elements, crews must remove the existing lane striping and repaint lines in a new configuration. NE Halsey will change from a four-lane design in this area to a three-lane street with bike lanes. This transformation will happen by reducing a travel lane in each direction and adding a center turn lane. Until that reconfiguration occurs, road crews cannot create the refuge island because it would block part of a travel lane. 

NE Halsey Street and 76th Ave

According to PBOT, the contracted painting company suffered equipment failure, which disrupted their busy schedule. That company, Hicks Striping & Curbing, is one of only two striping contractors in the northwest region approved to do this work. Specialized Pavement Marking is the other contractor and is equally busy. Consequentially, project planners anticipate delays in the Greenway crossing work. “We don’t anticipate striping this segment until spring 2024,” explained Hannah Schafer, Communications Director for PBOT. Construction schedules can shift on other projects, freeing up resources for this work, but for now, crews are waiting for updated pavement markings.

Construction drawing of NE Halsey Street and 76th Ave, courtesy PBOT

Other Greenway crossing projects in Montavilla are missing pavement markings, causing hardship for people using the intersections. SE Stark and Washington Streets at 80th Avenue recently received updates to support RRFBs. When the road crews repaved the work area, that work temporarily removed a high-visibility crosswalk on SE Stark Street. Without lane striping and marked crossings, pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers navigate with some ambiguity around conflict points in the street.

These are short-term challenges as the streets around the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project gain safety improvements. However, residents have demanded crossing improvements along these busy streets for years, and further delay is understandably disappointing. By next year, PBOT should complete the Greenway project, making way for other safety improvements in the area.

Update December 14th, 2023: Cement masons completed work on the NE Glisan Street crossing at 78th Avenue. It is now full functional for pedestrian users. PBOT should install the bike RRFB request buttons soon. As design documents indicated, crews did not install additional pedestrian refuge island safety enhancements. Work on the island removed the mounting bolts from the damaged RRFB signal pole and secured the wiring junction box with an access cover.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.