Tag: ODOT

Construction, Infrastructure

82nd Ave Draft Concept Shared by PBOT

In an effort to embrace design transparency, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) released a Draft Concept for the 82nd Avenue Critical Fixes project. They want public participation in the design process and created a survey to gather comments on the proposed upgrades. These near-term critical safety and maintenance repairs on 82nd Avenue will break ground in 2024, with crews working through 2026. Although repair work will span the entire stretch of 82nd Avenue, these specific projects focus on NE Fremont Street to NE Schuyler Street and SE Mill Street to SE Foster Road.

The enhancements could include medians with street trees, signal reconstruction, and sidewalk reconstruction or infill. The current draft concept maintains some center turn lanes but also create new dedicated left turn lanes. In some cases, pedestrian islands could prevent east-west automotive traffic from crossing 82nd Avenue at NE Klickitat Street, NE Schuyler Street, SE Clinton Street, SE Lafayette Street, and SE Center Street. PBOT intends to repave much of the project area, and the limited sidewalk construction will provide pedestrians with safe travel to one of the many new signalized crosswalks.

Image from PBOT’s March 2023 Draft Concept Design

Montavilla will receive only a handful of updates as part of this current round of proposed projects. Both sides of SE Mill Street could receive 200 feet of new sidewalk east of SE 82nd Avenue. PBOT also wants to reconstruct 300 feet of sidewalk on the east side of 82nd Avenue between SE Division Street and the mid-block crosswalk to the north, near the Portland Community College Southeast campus. The draft concept contains raised concrete medians on 82nd Avenue south of SE Harrison Street to SE Division street and beyond. Several breaks in the median allow for designated left turns and driveway access. PBOT will attempt to plant street trees in the raised medians where possible.

The two main project sites will cover a 2.5-mile stretch of 82nd Avenue that Portland now maintains. Last year, the Oregon Department of Transportation transferred seven miles of the State highway to the City. Funds acquired during that jurisdictional transfer are supporting these projects. The draft concept released alongside the survey represents an early proposal, and people reviewing it should expect changes based on comments submitted by the public. PBOT’s project team wants feedback from businesses, property owners, and residents on the draft concept design. The survey is open until April 15, 2023, and available in Chinese: 中文, Russian: Русский, Spanish: Español, and Vietnamese: Tiếng Việt.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Infrastructure

Signaling Updates Begin on 82nd Ave

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) recently installed new speed reader signs on 82nd Avenue near McDaniel High School. These displays provide real-time feedback on how fast motorists travel and alert drivers to “Slow Down” when exceeding the speed limit. In addition to these visible updates, traffic engineers will soon upgrade signal control units at 18 intersections, allowing staff to dynamically adjust red light timing and reduce opportunities for drivers to speed through multiple crossings without stopping.

Most traffic signal equipment on 82nd Avenue is 20 years old and requires manual adjustments to change signal light timing. New traffic signal controllers utilize modern means for managing intersections by interconnecting the equipment with high-speed fiber optic communications. This technology permits PBOT systems to monitor performance remotely in real time and shorten the overall wait time for all people traveling through a crossing. Although vehicles may encounter more stops along 82nd Avenue after these adjustments, it should reduce wait times for pedestrians and cross traffic. Safety enhancements will come from PBOT’s implementation of pedestrian head-start signals at several locations throughout the corridor. That signal timing strategy improves the safety and visibility of pedestrians by giving people a walk signal several seconds before vehicle operators see a green light.

PBOT electrician installing a new traffic signal controller, NE 82nd Avenue. Image courtesy PBOT

These updates are just the beginning of a three-year critical update of 82nd Avenue’s infrastructure. They are part of an agreement reached by State and City officials while coordinating the former State highway’s transfer of ownership from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to PBOT. In Spring, PBOT will continue corridor-wide signal technology upgrades, with pedestrian and bicycle improvements. Plans include improvements to road signage and striping along the corridor. In the Summer, crews will begin construction on six new signalized pedestrian crossings and street lighting improvements along the seven-mile-long road. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will start an 82nd Avenue paving project in the Fall south of the city limits that partially extends into the City of Portland up to SE Faster Road.

PBOT’s Critical Fixes project will continue through 2026 and is the first stage of extensive investments in 82nd Avenue. These upgrades will deliver basic safety and maintenance repairs to the corridor. PBOT, Oregon Metro, and TriMet are developing plans for substantial changes to 82nd Avenue after 2026. Those projects are in the early planning phase but will continue the momentum of safety and shared priority for all modes of transportation along one of Portland’s busiest roadways.

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the Building a Better 82nd Community Advisory Board and the 82nd Avenue Business Association Board.

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Community, Services

Free TriMet Rides on New Year’s Eve

As revelers head out to celebrate the close of 2022, Trimet once again offers riders fare-free transportation. Starting at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, all bus, MAX, and Portland Streetcar trips are free. Extended late-night MAX service runs until 2 a.m., allowing people to safely return from the night’s celebrations.

TriMet is bringing back free rides on New Year’s Eve in partnership with the Oregon Department of Transportation. Most MAX Lines run until 2 a.m. MAX Blue, Green, Orange, and Yellow lines will provide extended service, running approximately every 30 minutes. MAX Red Line trains will run on weekday schedules, with the last Red Line train leaving from Pioneer Square South to Portland International Airport (PDX) at 12:42 a.m. Shuttle buses carrying riders between Gateway Transit Center and PDX will run after train service ends as needed and until approximately 3:30 a.m.

For those who spent the night at their party destination, New Year’s Day service on TriMet buses, MAX, and Portland Streetcar will operate on regular Sunday schedules. WES Commuter Rail will not be in service, and TriMet customer support staff will have the day off. Even if public transportation is not in your plan, remember you are not stuck driving your vehicle home if you have partied too hard. Everyone deserves a safe start to 2023, and TriMet hopes they can help make that happen with this free-ride program.

Image courtesy TriMet
Construction, Infrastructure

SE Washington I-205 Overpass Work

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is installing a new protective screening and new bridge railings on the SE Washington Street bridge over Interstate 205. Bridge screens are protective fences that improve safety on highways by preventing fallen and thrown objects from hitting vehicles passing below. This work is part of a larger project that includes installing new protective screening on twelve bridges over ODOT highways in the Portland area and new railings on four of the twelve bridges.

Crews began work in April and have completed work on SE Washington Street’s southern bridge railing. They removed the see-through three-bar steel bridge railing and replaced it with a solid concrete barrier topped with a single see-through steel rail. Work has now shifted to the other side of the street. Crews are actively replacing the railing on the northern portion of the overpass. Then workers will begin attaching screens extending several feet above the barrier on both sides of the overpass.

Crews will block one traffic lane adjacent to the work area during construction. Planners expect work to continue for two months and reduce automotive throughput to three lanes from four. ODOT cautions that the project schedule is subject to change. However, work is currently on schedule.

The twin overpass on SE Stark Street is not one of the twelve bridges selected for ODOT improvements at this time. However, it utilizes the older design that State transportation engineers are now replacing. Future funding will likely pay for upgrades to the SE Stark Street overpass, similar to what crews are installing on SE Washington Street.

Although these changes will have minimal impact on users of the overpass, future upgrades coming to the SE Stark Washington Streets couplet will improve pedestrian and bicycle safety. Look for this current work to continue into summer and use caution while driving on SE Washington. Expect more road work next year along both SE Stark and Washington Streets.

Completed south side bridge railing
Construction, Infrastructure

I-84 East Exit 7 Closure

Starting May 8th, the Oregon Department of Transportation will close the Interstate 84 East Halsey/99th Ave off-ramp. This temporary closure allows TriMet construction crews the needed workspace to install support piers for a new MAX bridge over the freeway. Project managers expect to reopen Exit 7 to eastbound I-84 drivers on June 24th, 2022.

Work performed over the next two months will create the support structure for a new MAX Red Line bridge over I-84, located just east of Interstate 205. The bridge will provide pedestrian and bike access to the Gateway Green park and add a second track to the single-track rail system in the area. This project is part of the TriMet Better Red initiative to extend the MAX Red Line westward to serve ten more stations. Additionally, crews will install bidirectional rails in places with share tracks, speeding up the whole system.

TriMet suggests a detour onto Exit 6 towards I-205 South during the off-ramp closure and then use the Glisan Street/Stark Street exit. Drivers will follow NE Glisan east to NE 99th Avenue. Plan accordingly for this closure by using the ODOT TripCheck.com website for route information and updates. Better Red crews will continue their work in the area until its completion in 2024.

Community, Infrastructure

82nd Ave Now 100 Percent Portland

Yesterday, Portland City Council voted unanimously to adopt 82nd Avenue into the City’s network of streets. This jurisdictional transfer moves seven miles of State Highway 213, from NE Killingsworth Street to SE Clatsop Street, into the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) control. Additionally, the ordinance accepts $80 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding for necessary improvements on 82nd Avenue.

Yesterday’s vote completes years of community initiatives and governmental negotiations regarding the future of this neglected highway. Years of differed maintenance and insufficient investment by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) left the roadway in poor condition, even as the north to south connector became the busiest street in the City.

TriMet’s number 72 bus line on 82nd Avenue boasts the highest ridership of any route in the public transit system. More than 20,000 vehicle trips occur per day on the road. Due to the deteriorating conditions and traffic volume, 82nd Avenue experiences some of the highest crash rates in Portland. Over the next few years, PBOT intends to use the initial funding to improve safety for pedestrians and drivers alike.

Already identified projects for 82nd Avenue will begin soon, now that this legislative milestone has passed. PBOT will deliver new lighting, safer pedestrian crossings, pavement repair, and sidewalk accessibility upgrades. In some cases, large sections of the road surface will need reconstruction. Most of the curbside lanes of the highway lack a concrete base layer. The original construction of OR213 supported just one travel lane in each direction with a shared center turning lane. Engineers designed the outer edges of the road for parking, not the heavy demands of traffic. 

Projects funded by yesterday’s approved ordinance only represent the beginning of upgrades expected in the area. Around 2026, ODOT will deliver a second payment to Portland, totaling $70 million. Along with the City’s pledged $35 million, this second $105 million wave of investment will enact more safety and livability improvement along 82nd Avenue. Community and business engagement around those future projects will ramp up over the next few years.

The City of Portland created a website for residents and business owners to track the new Building a Better 82nd initiative. Look for opportunities to contribute to the planning of 82nd Avenue through online and in-person community forums, focus groups, and surveys. PBOT will also partner with existing community organizations to guide future projects and coordinate with the people affected by the coming changes to the streetscape.

Construction, Infrastructure

82nd Ave Crossing at NE Pacific

Update August 1st, 2022: Construction is complete and the rapid flash beacons are available for pedestrians to use.

Update March 11th, 2022: Crews completed all curb ramps and a new pedestrian crossing island this month. Soon workers will add button-activated rapid flashing beacons for this 82nd Avenue crosswalk.

West side of 82nd Avenue mid block curb ramp

Update February 26th, 2022: Crews completed the curb reconstruction at the northeast corner on 82nd Avenue and NE Pacific Street. Wood forms for the southeast corner are ready for concrete, while demolition crews remove the last portions of the preexisting pedestrian island in the middle of 82nd Avenue. Soon an enhanced crosswalk waypoint will protect people as they cross the five lanes of the busy highway and button-activated rapid flashing beacons will indicate to motorists that they must yield to those about to enter the crosswalk.

Northeast corner after reconstruction

Original Article Published February 11th, 2022.

This week, construction crews closed off one lane in each direction on 82nd Avenue at NE Pacific Street. Heavy equipment is breaking apart the pavement surrounding the old pedestrian median island to allow for expanded protection at the crosswalk waypoint. In addition to enhanced crossing facilities on 82nd Avenue, contractors will reconstruct the corners and curb ramps at the intersection.

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) funded this project ahead of the jurisdiction transfer of highway OR 213 (82nd Avenue) to the City of Portland. Officials expect that process to complete at the end of March 2022. A handful of ODOT projects will continue past the transfer date, including this enhanced crossing at NE Pacific Street.

ODOT will upgrade the south side of the intersection with crosswalk striping and rectangular rapid flash beacons. The existing pedestrian median island midway through 82nd Avenue will remain with some modifications. Last October, crews installed the foundation and wiring conduit for a traffic signal mast arm and pole. It will support the pedestrian crossing’s flashing beacons over the roadway.

Foundation and wiring for a traffic signal mast arm and pole on southeast corner

Crossing improvements at this location should aid pedestrians needing access to Montavilla Park or Multnomah University’s campus. The next closest signalized crossings are 800 feet to the north and 1,000 feet to the south. This improvement, along with the lower speed limits recently enacted, could reduce the number of traffic injuries experienced by people along this busy road.

Median island midway through 82nd Avenue before work began
Infrastructure

Expect Traffic Congestion this Weekend

Starting this Friday at 10 PM, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will close most of I84 between I5 and I205. This closure will extend throughout the weekend, potentially diverting increased traffic through Montavilla as motorists find alternative routes. Residents should plan ahead and allow for extra travel time over the next three days. Additionally, use caution on neighborhood roads as overflow traffic could travel via uncommon routes.

The rare I84 closure is necessary to allow construction cranes to lift the long span of a new bridge into place. After more than a year of construction, the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) Congressman Earl Blumenauer Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge is ready for the next phase of installation. Heavy-lift specialists will slowly maneuver the approximately 450,000 lb. and 400-foot-long bridge over Sullivan’s Gulch. Progress of the big lift project will be viewable online via a live web camera.

The closure begins tonight, Friday, October 8th, and continues until 5 AM Monday morning. Road crews will block all westbound I84 traffic starting at I205. In the other direction, crews will barricade I84 eastbound ramps from I5. The eastbound on-ramp from Northeast Grand Avenue is also closed. The on-ramp from Northeast 16th Avenue will periodically reopen to eastbound traffic during the weekend. However, drivers shouldn’t depend on its availability. On-ramps east of, and including Cesar Chavez Boulevard, will remain open.

Despite many public notices regarding the closure, some drivers are likely to be confused, creating traffic congestion around I84. If traveling this weekend, check TripCheck.com or mobile map apps for the latest conditions. Otherwise, this may be an excellent weekend to remain close to home or head out of town early.

I-84 eastbound

All I-84 eastbound lanes will close from I-5 to Cesar Chavez Boulevard, including:

  • The ramps to I-84 from northbound and southbound I-5.
  • The eastbound on-ramp from Northeast Grand Avenue, closing at 5 a.m. Friday.
  • The eastbound on-ramp from Northeast 16th Avenue, will periodically open.

The eastbound on-ramp from Cesar Chavez Boulevard will remain open. On-ramps east of Cesar Chavez Boulevard will also remain open.

I-84 westbound

All I-84 westbound lanes will close at Interstate 205 including:

  • The ramps from northbound and southbound I-205.
  • The on-ramp from Northeast Halsey Street, near 82nd Avenue.
  • The on-ramp from Northeast Glisan Street, near 58th Avenue
  • The on-ramp from Northeast Sandy Boulevard.
  • The on-ramp from Northeast 33rd Avenue.
  • The ramps to northbound and southbound I-5.
Infrastructure

Road Safety Enhanced on 82nd and Beyond

Earlier this year, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) approved $3.35 million worth of safety projects along 82nd Ave. While ODOT crews worked on some of those improvements near SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland’s Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) staff were busy installing new stop signs six blocks away. Both projects are a response to years of automobile collisions and unsafe pedestrian crossings in the area.

Work is complete at the pedestrian island on SE 82nd Ave at SE Hawthorne Blvd. Previously, the half-island created a raised curb in the center lane blocking southbound traffic from colliding with a crossing person paused in the middle lane. ODOT crews have now added a similarly raised concrete pad to protect the pedestrian from northbound vehicles. The expanded center island also blocks left turns by drivers traveling east on SE Hawthorne Blvd. Before traffic engineers updated this intersection, a left-turning car could strike someone on the center island or crossing the northbound lanes of 82nd Ave. A new Right Turn Only sign is posted on the intersection’s southwest corner, alerting drivers to the recently installed obstruction.

New “Right Turn Only” sign at SE Hawthorne Blvd heading east

ODOT crews closed several nearby crosswalks to divert pedestrians crossing 82nd Ave towards the new safer crossing point. A few feet away from the enhanced crosswalk, staff installed an electronic speed sign. ODOT is installing these yellow “your Speed” displays at several spots along 82nd Ave. They are SpeedCheck® brand signs made by Carmanah Technologies. Using radar, they indicate the current speed of the closest vehicle and present a “Slow Down” message for people traveling over the posted speed limit.

SpeedCheck® sign showing true speed to southbound drivers on SE 82nd Ave

Nearby ODOT’s project, PBOT addressed two neighborhood streets that have needed updates for years. Crews installed four new stop signs at the intersections of SE Salmon and SE Taylor Streets along 78th Ave. Previously both intersections were uncontrolled and had no stop signs in any direction. Now divers must stop when heading north-south on SE 78th Ave at SE Salmon Street. Additionally, cars driving east-west on SE Taylor Street will now need to stop at SE 78th Ave.

New eastbound stop sign at SE 78th Ave and SE Taylor Street

One resident explained that they have tried for over 20 years to have these stops signs installed by PBOT. During just the last twelve months, he counted seven accidents occurring in front of his home. One incident destroyed his 100-year-old Walnut Tree. He and his neighbors continuously pushed the issue with Portland City officials. For three months, the group called the City to report their concern. They had almost lost hope. However, their persistence paid off, and they now have the stop signs they have wanted for years.

New northbound stop sign at SE Salmon Street and SE 78th Ave

Collisions and traffic fatalities have significantly increased over the last two years, but Portland has many areas that have seen decades of hazardous conditions. Although slower than many residents would like, transportation officials are now working to address those high-risk areas and make a safer neighborhood for everyone.

New southbound stop sign at SE Salmon Street and SE 78th Ave
Community, Construction, Infrastructure

Officials Tour 82nd Ave Ahead of Improvements

Today, three elected officials toured SE 82nd Ave to highlight proposed safety investments coming to the roadway. Thanks to United States Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), the recently passed US House infrastructure package contains $5 million for 82nd Ave safety improvements. These federal dollars will join $185 million in State and City funds previously committed to 82nd Ave improvements as part of the jurisdictional transfer of the State-owned highway to the City of Portland.

State Representative Khanh Pham and Portland City Commissioner JoAnn Hardesty joined Rep. Blumenauer on the July 9th walk from SE Hawthorne Blvd to the APANO offices on SE Division Street. Positioned on the sidewalks of 82nd Ave, members of the procession observed the failing infrastructure and talked about future repairs.

Along the journey, Comm. Hardesty and others address the concern that gentrification often follows transit improvement projects. The group agreed that 82nd Ave projects need to consider their impact on existing residents and businesses to minimize displacement. Preventing community upheaval was a concern echoed later by Rep. Blumenauer at the press conference that followed today’s tour. “There is a significant amount of wealth to be generated by doing it right, but we have to do it… so it doesn’t displace and drive people away.” He called for projects to “reinforce the elements of community” and kickstart developments that serve all income levels.

At the press conference, the speakers celebrated the infrastructure improvements coming to the roadway. Better lighting and enhanced crosswalks will provide residents near this street the same safety other Portlanders have within their neighborhoods. These upgrades join public transportation developments designed to make living along 82nd Ave feasible.

These infrastructure improvements make the area suitable for more density housing projects that use the untaped real estate above commercial spaces. Rep. Pham expressed dismay at the number of “Mega Storage Units” being created along the roadway. Rep. Blumenauer agreed that those facilities negatively affect community-building efforts. He explained that Self Storage businesses allow companies to hold onto land and generate some profit while they wait for the value of the property to rise, creating “black holes in the community.”

Rep. Blumenauer is a longtime believer in East Portland’s potential. Years ago, he aggressively pressed for PCC’s to expand into the Southeast, with the desire to create social destinations. Much of 82nd Ave’s transportation move people through the area instead of bringing people in. “82nd Ave is the highest volume of transit in the city [and] it has been a lost opportunity for as long as I remember,” Rep. Blumenauer recalled. Fortunately, investments coming to the highway will create the safe spaces people need to live, walk, and build their community. 

Early next year, 82nd Ave will become part of Portland’s network of roads and begin receiving upgrades to make the street safe and modern. Last month, the Oregon legislature approved $80 million in funds that will partially pay for 82nd Ave’s transfer to the Portland Bureau of Transportation. It was one of the last obstacles to overcome ahead of next year’s jurisdictional transfer.

Rep. Blumenauer praised the work of Rep. Pham and Comm. Hardesty on their efforts to move the decades-long transfer process near completion. It required countless hours of negotiations before State and City staff agreed to the terms of transfer. However, the agreement would have stalled if not for an influx of federal recovery funding. Years of work needed to coincide with the right timing for infrastructure investments. Today’s events represented an acknowledgment that supporters won the fight for change on 82nd Ave. Now, efforts will shift to enacting projects that build up the community without pushing people out.