Tag: 82nd Ave

Construction, Infrastructure

Sidewalk Infill on SE 82nd North of Division

Crews with Raimore Construction are creating a new paved sidewalk on the east side of SE 82nd Avenue north of SE Division Street. The work will replace mostly asphalt pedestrian walkways with standard city concrete sidewalks that better connect pedestrians to a pre-existing rectangular rapid-flashing beacon (RRFB) enhanced mid-block crossing. When completed, pedestrians will gain over 300 feet of accessible walkway with defined driveway access points.

This work is part of the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) Building a Better 82nd initiative and its 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project. Since the jurisdictional transfer of 82nd Avenue from the Oregon Department of Transportation to PBOT on June 1st, 2022, planners have worked to implement safety improvements and address deferred maintenance along the seven-mile stretch of roadway. This short section of sidewalk infill addresses one of many areas on the former State Highway where legacy infrastructure leaves people outside of cars more vulnerable to injury. The previous asphalt walkway created a fuzzy line between where the sidewalk starts and the parking lot ends. It also allowed driveway curb cuts to extend into the pedestrian zone wider than needed so drivers could turn into the business parking area in unpredictable spots. The sloped surface of the asphalt could become challenging for people who use assistive mobility devices and limited access.

 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project Draft Design graphic courtesy PBOT

The sidewalk conditions directly to the north and south of this infill project are of varying conditions and widths but at least adhered to general sidewalk standards. The intersection of SE 82nd Avenue and Division Street is a frequently used transit corridor, and many people need to use the sidewalks in this area to connect or transfer from the TriMet 72 and FX 2 lines. This location is also directly across the street from Portland Community College’s Southeast campus, which has the potential to generate substantial foot traffic when students attend in-person classes.

Sidewalk work is underway in front of Taboo Video at 2330 SE 82nd Avenue. Work will continue south along the east side of SE 82nd Avenue. Drivers should anticipate curbside lane closures during the project and follow flagger directions to allow business access during construction. Pedestrians should use SE 82nd Avenue’s west sidewalk or follow the sidewalk detour around the worksite. Crews working for PBOT will install additional in-street extended median islands in the center turn lane at a future date.

Update March 25th, 2025: Crews continue adding new sidewalk working south towards the recently rebuild segment in front of Pacific Plaza.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Infrastructure

New Sidewalks on SE Mill

In February, crews working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) began constructing new sidewalks on SE Mill Street east of SE 82nd Avenue. Mill Street lacks curbs or dedicated pedestrian walkways from SE 82nd to 89th Avenues. This project will add over 200 feet of sidewalk on both sides of a street used as a bike greenway and a safe route to school near its busiest intersection. Expanding the new sidewalk further eastward beyond the worksite poses challenges due to mature trees that line SE Mill Street’s residential segment and will need to wait for future infrastructure enhancements.

The new sidewalks will feature tree wells, allowing for street trees on both sides of the roadway. PBOT is acquiring additional right of way to create wide sidewalks for this project on SE Mill. Multnomah County donated the right of way to the City for sidewalk construction on the south side of Mill. Additionally, designs for a temporary shelter at the Multnomah County-owned 1818 SE 82nd Avenue property show a green buffer strip between the sidewalk and the future privacy fence along SE Mill Street. Based on that project’s final landscaping plan, this space could contain trees or plants.

SE Mill St at SE 82nd Ave with illustrations showing new sidewalk and street trees. Image courtesy PBOT

The sidewalk addition is part of the PBOT-led Building a Better 82nd initiative, driving modernization projects along the former Oregon State Highway. The sidewalk’s eastward extension from SE 82nd Avenue will support better business access through defined curb cuts at driveways and let pedestrians safely navigate the street past busier segments. Lane closures on SE Mill Street will occur as crews continue their work in the area. Drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists should use caution traveling through the work site and follow detour signs and crew instructions.

Update: Cement masons completed the south sidewalk segment leaving one unfinished section around a utility pole.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Correction: A previous version of this article inaccurately stated that the sidewalks were limited in width and would not feature space for street trees. Montavilla News Regrets this error. PBOT is acquiring additional right of way to widen sidewalks and plant trees on SE Mill as a part of the 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance project.

Construction, Infrastructure, Transportation

SE 82nd Ave Lane Closure for Repair

On February 11th, road crews closed the southbound outer lane of SE 82nd Avenue to repair a broken stormwater inlet on the southwest corner of the Yamhill Street crossing. TriMet will close the southbound number 72 bus stop at this intersection from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during construction. The project will continue for at least one week to allow cement masons to pour new concrete around the repaired sewer infrastructure.

This stormwater inlet is less than a decade old. Road crews installed it as part of an intersection reconstruction in 2016. That project updated the signal lights from wire-hung units to pole arm-mounted signals and rebuilt the four sidewalk corners with modern Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps. The wider ramps required crews to relocate several stormwater inlets away from pedestrian paths. That 2016 project occurred during a time when the Oregon Department of Transportation maintained 82nd Avenue as a State highway. Since June 1st, 2022, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is responsible for repairs along the roadway.

PBOT closed the westernmost lane of SE 82nd Avenue to allow for crews to work on this unplanned repair and ask drivers to use caution around the worksite. All directions of travel should continue through this intersection during the project’s duration. However, additional detours may be necessary as crews work in the area. Pedestrians may need to cross the street to navigate around work blocking the sidewalk. People should always observe reader boards for instructions and obey flagger directions to avoid injury or damage to property.

Street users should note that all work is weather-dependent, and the schedule may change, requiring a prolonged lane closure. The bus stop ID 8066 for SE 82nd & Yamhill will remain closed daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until further notice. TriMet instructs riders to use the stop before or after this location instead.

Article and photo’s by

Jacob Loeb

Food and Drink, Infrastructure, Renovation

82nd Ave Wendy’s Remodel

Wendy’s restaurant at 232 NE 82nd Avenue plans to refresh the fast food location inside and out later this year. Some upgrades include modifications of interior walls along with the installation of new equipment and fixtures. Exterior work involves rearranging this location’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking spaces, adding bike parking, and new exterior lighting mounted on poles.

This 1981-era dine-in and drive-through building features the brand’s classic stylings and has outgrown its current configuration. Previous remodels included the creation of an exterior detached cooler that crews will demolish as part of this round of enhancements. Building permits show the planned addition of an attached cold food storage room to accommodate future kitchen capacity and replace the old detached unit.

Exterior detached cooler that crews will demolish

The Wendy’s fast food chain did not respond to requests for details regarding this remodel. However, the company has recently embraced its Global Next Gen design strategy for new and refreshed stores. That concept prioritizes higher order volume with streamlined buildings supporting increased digital orders and delivery customers. The square-patty burger maker says their modern restaurants can significantly upscale production compared to previous designs, increasing kitchen output capacity by nearly 50%.

The newer-designed stores include smaller dining rooms and offer dedicated windows for delivery drivers to collect food purchased through services like Doordash or Uber Eats. They often feature adjacent short-term delivery driver parking to streamline pickups and keep drive-through lanes clear for customers. The newer designs also incorporate building with a mixture of woodgrain and flat panel cladding over clean vertical lines that extend up to the parapet. The company no longer uses the decorative flared band that wraps the roofline of older Wendy’s locations, preferring a simple box shape to the building.

Work at this location will complement the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s plans to widen the sidewalk in front of this restaurant to 12 feet, adding room for possible street trees or a planting strip in the furnishing zone between the curb and sidewalk. The pedestrian zone widening is part of the 82nd Avenue Glisan and Davis Signal Improvements project developed in 2024, with an expected groundbreaking in 2025.

Image from 82nd Avenue Glisan and Davis May 2024 Draft Design. Courtesy PBOT

The NE 82nd Avenue store may only use some of Wendy’s Global Next Gen design principles in its remodel. However, it will likely incorporate many modern elements into this location to increase its functionality for customers and employees. The City of Portland is still reviewing building permits for this remodel. Work is likely months from starting and may require some disruption to regular business at this location during construction.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Transportation

82nd Ave Transit Project Online Open House

On January 22nd, TriMet hosted an in-person open house to show its progress on the 82nd Avenue Transit Project designs and gather feedback from attendees. TriMet reports nearly 100 people attended the event in the Community Hall Annex at Portland Community College’s Southeast campus. The public transit provider created an online version of the open house where people can provide additional feedback through February 14th.

Online visitors can find maps of the proposed route and station locations similar to the information presented at the in-person event. The map also shows station removals planned for the new bus rapid transit (BRT) line. TriMet will implement traffic-light signal-prioritization for buses and near-level boarding platforms with dual door entry and remove underutilized stops along the route to decrease travel times for future FX-Frequent Express service. TriMet also intends to work with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to use some percentage of outer lanes along 82nd Avenue for Business Access & Transit (BAT) uses. They would reserve a yet-to-be-determined length of lanes for bus travel and for cars turning into or out of a parking lot.

As with the FX line running on SE Division Street, this new service on 82nd Avenue will have bus stations instead of stops with shelters, seating, lighting, and digital displays informing waiting riders of the next bus’s arrival time. Busses will run more often with enhanced reliability, according to planner’s estimates. TriMet recently secured funding for a fleet of zero-emission hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses to operate on this line, reducing roadside noise and pollution.

TriMet expects to upgrade bus service on 82nd Avenue between Clackamas Town Center and the Cully neighborhood by 2029. This open house is the best time to provide input about the proposal. TriMet recently solicited public participation in an 82nd Avenue Transit Project Community Advisory Committee (CAC). Applications for the CAC closed on January 27th, but TriMet has not yet announced the selected members. The CAC engagement process will provide Portlanders other opportunities to interface with TriMet regarding the BRT’s development. However, the survey following the online Open House is still the most direct way to express feedback about this transit project.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Infrastructure

SE 82nd Median Trees at Clinton Crossing

In January, landscapers working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) installed street trees and other plantings in the new center median on SE 82nd Avenue at SE Clinton Street. Over the last year, crews installed several safety enhancements that have altered the traffic flow at this intersection and will make it safer for people crossing 82nd Avenue. This work is related to a bundle of 82nd Avenue Critical Fixes underway along the corridor. Crews completed the raised median with new sidewalk corners and installed pedestrian crossing signal lights in late 2024. Contractors still need to apply high-visibility crosswalk markings to the roadway and install brick-textured concrete in the unplanted section of the median.

This new in-road infrastructure will block all left turns and cross traffic from SE Clinton Street at this intersection. The new street design encourages northbound left-turning traffic to use SE Division Street and SE 80th to access streets west of the intersection. Southbound drivers can use SE Division Street and SE 84th to access destinations east of the intersection. Although a block from the SE 82nd and Division crossing, city engineers prioritize crosswalks closer together for designated Pedestrian Districts like the Jade District, where this work is underway. “Clinton Street was identified early on in our planning process as a desirable location to fill this gap, being the closest intersection to the mid-point between the two existing crossings, and the closest to meeting the 530-foot guideline, and being a four-way intersection that serves a larger area of the neighborhood on both sides of 82nd Avenue,” explained PBOT representative Hannah Schafer.

Graphic from 82nd Avenue Critical Fixes 60% Draft Concept Design, January 2024. Courtesy PBOT

City planners also prioritized improvements to this intersection based on future projects planned along SE Clinton Street. This crossing will eventually connect to an affordable housing development planned at the former Canton Grill site on the northeast corner, and the street will receive upgrades as part of the Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project. “An upcoming funded project will be paving some gravel blocks of Clinton Street just east of 82nd Avenue and adding sidewalks that will connect to this new signalized crossing,” remarked Schafer. She noted that this crossing was the site of a 2015 traffic fatality, along with several other non-deadly crashes involving pedestrians struck by motorists, elevating the need for safety upgrades at this intersection.

PBOT currently has the vehicle and pedestrian signals covered with “out of service” indicators. When PBOT activates the signal, this equipment will work similarly to Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) signalized crossing. People request the light by pressing a button when ready to cross. However, instead of activating flashing amber lights, drivers on SE 82nd Avenue see a standard traffic light progressing from green to yellow to red, clearly halting traffic so pedestrians can cross.

In addition to adding signals and a median refuge island, contractors working for PBOT constructed enhanced stormwater inlets at the corners and installed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant sidewalk corner ramps at SE 82nd Avenue and SE Clinton Street. This intersection could become the area’s preferred 82nd Avenue crossing point, with fewer pedestrian conflict points caused by turning cars. The planted median provides additional protection for those crossing and is a way to expand the urban tree canopy. PBOT added five trees in the center of 82nd Avenue and one more street tree near the TriMet 72 bus stop. The added shade from these trees should lower the temperature along the road’s edge and help make this area more comfortable for those navigating this busy street. Look for more trees planted at similar projects along the corridor over the next few months.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Update January 31st, 2025: This article was updated to remove the term pavers. Contractors will stamp concrete with a red brick pattern in unplanted sections of the median islands.

Construction, Infrastructure

Plantable Medians on SE 82nd at Ash

In late December, crews returned to SE 82nd Avenue at Ash Street, constructing a new median island to prevent left turns and provide pedestrians with safer crossing infrastructure. This mid-street raised infrastructure will contain new street trees and feature water-permeable soil cover to aid tree growth in sufficiently irrigated dirt. This in-road work is the final build phase for this intersection, where workers previously updated utilities and store water management before reconstructing the corner ramps and adding rectangular rapid-flashing beacon (RRFB) signal hardware.

PBOT provided intersection design document

To install the new median, crews cut through all layers of the road in the center turn lane and excavated several feet deep. This large trench, placed to the north and south of two street-level pedestrian median cutouts, will provide space for new soil that future tree roots can expand into as they grow to maturity. Arborists working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will plant and maintain trees during their early years, watering and replacing them as needed.

RRFB request buttons and connective wiring are still needed at this crossing before PBOT can activate the signal lights. When completed, pedestrians and cyclists can activate the flashing yellow lights that indicate drivers on SE 82nd Avenue should yield. The raised median island also gives crossers a safe space to wait for traffic to stop as they travel across the five-lane road. These crosswalks at SE Ash Street are closed until workers complete the mid-street construction. During the closure, people should detour to the signalized crosswalks at E Burnside Street or SE Stark Street. Contractors are on track to complete this project in early 2025, but winter weather could push some final work to later in the year.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support 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, New Business

Oak Street Village GNA Moves to Signing

On December 9th, the Montavilla Neighborhood Association (MNA) voted unanimously to sign the Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) for the Oak Street Village shelter site at 333 SE 82nd Avenue. The Multnomah County-owned property will open to temporary residents in early 2025, and formalizing a community agreement is a significant step toward launching this shelter. The 32-page non-binding document covers the signers’ shared commitment to adhere to their agreed responsibilities and follow set communication standards to resolve conflicts.

The GNA signers include the Joint Office of Homeless Services, the City of Portland, shelter services providers Straightway Services, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association, and the MNA. Each party has distinct responsibilities and roles in the agreement, and the GNA can update through its duration with the consent of the signers. The MNA sees the Community Advisory Committee formed by the GNA as a critical part of the document’s strength. That committee meets monthly with members from each signing party and village residents to review operations in a collaborative problem-solving format. This continual engagement ensures the parties maintain strong lines of communication and identify opportunities for collaboration between the village participants and the Community.

The GNA establishes an Engagement Zone bordered by the west side of SE 80th Avenue, the east side of 83rd Avenue, the north side of SE Ash Street, and the south side of SE Stark Street. The City will grant high-priority services within the defined area, and the site operator commits to regularly engaging with people in the zone to limit community impacts around Oak Street Village. The prioritized city services include the removal of unsanctioned campsites or abandoned vehicles, emergency calls, non-emergency calls, and cleaning services. The City has to adhere to its policies regarding each service but agrees to rank occurrences higher in the Engagement Zone.

Zone map from GNA (Engagement Zone – Red, Good Neighbor Zone – Blue)

The GNA states that the service provider will initially favor referrals into Oak Street Village from Montavilla’s unsheltered population, potentially reducing the number of persistent unsanctioned campsites in the neighborhood. This site prioritizes individuals living in vehicles who want to keep their car while moving into sleeping pods. Oak Street Village supports people making that transition by offering onsite parking for one personal vehicle per resident. This somewhat unique shelter feature generated many questions from neighbors during community engagement meetings. The GNA includes Straightway Services’ written policies, which outline the provider’s prohibition of onsite vehicle repair, prolonged idling, sleeping in a vehicle, or extensive property storage in the cars. The cars must fit within the marked parking stalls, blocking the storage of recreational vehicles or other oversized trucks. Owners of parked cars leaking fluids must use drip pans and properly dispose of hazardous materials to prevent runoff contamination of the stormwater system.

The agreement also covers future site placement, limiting Multnomah County’s expansion of the JOHS Community Sheltering Strategy within the Good Neighbor Zone. The Good Neighbor Zone surrounding the Engagement Zone is bordered by SE 75th Avenue, SE 88th Avenue, E Burnside Street, and SE Yamhill Street. It also has an extension from E Burnside Street up NE 80th Avenue and NE 82nd Avenue to incorporate the Vestal School. This agreement and other potential sites with a similar GNA will significantly reduce the potential for more County-owned sites along Montavilla’s section of 82nd Avenue.

The GNA mandates the regular collection of metrics to track the shelter’s impact on the neighborhood. Members of the Community Advisory Committee will monitor the data, which will become publicly accessible through existing dashboards and other group communications. As the County prepares a second site at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue, this GNA will likely play an influential role in that site’s Good Neighbor Agreement. The other parties will have to sign the document, but JOHS leaders expect that will happen before the residents begin moving into the 333 SE 82nd Avenue site.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support 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, Services

1818 SE 82nd Village-style Shelter Meeting

The Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) will hold a community meeting on December 5th to present information on a new alternative shelter planned for the former RV sales lot at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue. This site is the second location purchased by Multnomah County in Montavilla as a shelter site. Montavilla News first reported on the County’s purchase of the two properties in 2022, and crews working for the JOHS are currently building the Oak Street Village at 333 SE 82nd Avenue.

Harrison Birds Eye View titled image courtesy JOHS

This proposed shelter at SE 82nd Avenue and Mill Street is just 15 blocks south of the site under construction. Several JOHS documents refer to the site as Harrison Village. However, County staff changed the working title for Oak Street Village during community engagement, and the Harrison Village name could be a placeholder. JOHS plans to install 38 sleeping pods and larger portable units that will house showers, bathrooms, kitchenette space, and a laundry facility for residents. Like other shelters of this type, outreach specialists refer people into this temporary housing, and residents receive case management with the support necessary to move into more stable housing.

JOHS staff anticipate that this second County-owned Montavilla shelter will begin serving unhoused community members in late 2025. Organizers ask that people RSVP for the 6 p.m. meeting that will take place within the Montavilla United Methodist Church at 232 SE 80th Avenue. Attendees will learn more about the JOHS plan for the site and have the opportunity to provide feedback about the project’s design layout. The hour-and-a-half meeting should conclude around 7:30 p.m. People interested in staying informed but unable to attend the Thursday night gathering can follow the JOHS site for details.

Article and Photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support 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, New Business, Property Sale

Abandoned Driving Range to Become Wildlife Hospital and Sanctuary

The Bird Alliance of Oregon recently completed its purchase of a 12.51-acre property on NE 82nd Avenue across from Leodis V. McDaniel High School. For decades, this overgrown field was known for the graffiti-covered remnants of a golf driving range built on top of a landfilled quarry. Within the next several years, it will become a new wildlife hospital and nature sanctuary for the 122-year-old organization formally known as Portland Audubon.

The organization plans to restore much of the land to its native habitat with nature trails and park space for public use. The site’s proximity to schools and connectivity to the MAX light rail and Portland’s most active bus line made it an ideal location for the Bird Alliance of Oregon to host educational programs and showcase its wildlife viewing opportunities. Portland has limited sites that offer the continuous acres needed for a wildlife hospital and rehabilitation center. The organization operates year-round, providing injured native birds and other wildlife opportunities to return to the wild. This site will support a new building expected to double the floor area of the Bird Alliance’s current Center with the capacity to treat more than 6,000 animals a year. The site’s topography is challenging for any development, and other potential buyers have failed in past attempts to transform it into a large shopping complex.

Aerial image from Portland Maps

The Rose City Sand and Gravel company excavated an 80-foot-deep hole in the center of the site during its many years in operation. Around 1972, site owners converted operations to support the H.G. LaVelle landfill. Over the next ten years, they filled the pit with construction debris, including wood products, metals, and rubble, comprising approximately 2 million cubic yards of solid waste. Landfill deposits included rubble from Interstate-205’s construction. When the landfill closed in 1982, operators covered the site with a clay cap, installing a landfill gas extraction unit and methane monitoring equipment to treat decomposing organic material. Building a substantial structure over the clay cap takes significant engineering. However, the perimeter of the former pit is stable ground and suitable for conventional construction.

Former pro-shop building and offices for golf driving range

The Bird Alliance of Oregon embraced the site’s past and actively supports the remediation of brownfield sites like this one, bringing them back to productive use. Earlier this year, the group secured a Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) grant to restore native habitat across the property. They plan to plant hundreds of native trees and create a pollinator habitat underneath and around a two-acre community solar array on the sloped land at the property’s south side. The multiple PCEF grants received by the organization will power the new structures and offset utility costs for around 200 low-income community members while strengthening the urban tree canopy.

Long unused golf driving range

The plans for this site align with the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s commitment to climate resiliency and habitat protection. These principles complement the work that started over a decade ago at the adjacent Dharma Rain Zen Center. That group purchased the nearly 14 acres to the east in 2012, restoring it to an urban greenspace with habitat for native plants and animals. They created walking trails open to the community and built several small buildings at the center of their property. Together, these two organizations and Glenhaven Park across the street will preserve a green band in the urban core that will support the surrounding community with accessible natural spaces.

With grant funding available, work could begin next year, clearing old structures. The group plans to add additional soil to the property, giving tree roots the depth needed above the clay landfill cap. Developing new structures on the site will take years and require additional funding. This location will become the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s second Portland metro area site, and they will continue to operate in Northwest Portland along with this planned new facility.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support 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.