Tag: PBOT

Infrastructure

NE Halsey Lane Reconfiguration Underway

On April 8th, road painting crews begin work to reconfigure NE Halsey Street between 68th and 81st Avenues. Truck-mounted equipment scrubbed the existing travel lane markings from asphalt while workers affixed temporary plastic reflectors to the removed paint’s location so drivers could continue to use the street. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) expects the contractor to return within a few days to restripe the street in a new configuration. Drivers will lose one travel lane in each direction between NE 68th and 81st Avenues but gain a center turn lane, aiding in safer left turns. Cyclists will receive bike lanes on both sides of NE Halsey Street from NE 68th 81st Avenues.

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

PBOT representative Hannah Schafer explained that their pavement marking contractor is waiting for dry weather to restripe the street. Earlier this year, project managers delayed work on a 70s Neighborhood Greenway-related improvement that will create protected crossings at NE 76th Avenue and Halsey Street. Two pedestrian refuge islands and a small raised concrete median on NE Halsey Street will reside in the center turn lane at this intersection. However, cement masons could not begin that work until crews created a center lane by reducing the travel lanes. Crossing improvement work can occur after the contractor completes the street marking work.

Crosswalk closed at NE 76th Avenue and Halsey Street, directing people to the two others that will have protective islands

Residents challenged by the current conditions on this dangerous roadway have advocated for improvements for nearly a decade. Its old four travel lane configuration drops to two lanes west of NE 71st Avenue and east of NE 81st Avenue, creating an odd section of greater vehicle capacity that induces speeding. Reduced travel lanes and better crossings are just some of the updates aimed at making this a safer stretch of road. A new mini roundabout, flashing beacons, and high visibility crosswalk markings will help people cross the street in this area with reduced worry that a driver will not see them.

NE 76th Avenue and Halsey Street crossing that will have a protective pedestrian island

Drivers on NE Halsey Street should expect construction delays as crews paint the asphalt over the next few days and workers begin constructing the in-road safety infrastructure. Pedestrians and cyclists should use extreme caution around incomplete safety improvements and note that traffic pattern changes could distract motorists.

Update: On April 11th, crews with Hicks Striping & Curbing returned to NE Halsey to paint the streets with a new lane configuration and add marked crossings at NE 76th Avenue.

Update: Soon after crews restriped the roadway, cement masons returned to install two pedestrian refuge islands and a small raised concrete median on NE Halsey Street at NE 76th Avenue.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Infrastructure

New Name for the Same Gravel Streets

On March 20th, the Portland City Council approved minor code updates to change a term the City uses for streets the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is not obligated to maintain. Formally called unimproved, the amended City code in Chapter 17.42 now calls these streets nonmaintained. The City of Portland’s policy is that abutting property owners maintain streets until street improvements bring them up to PBOT standards and the City accepts the street for maintenance. This policy has left many streets in poor condition, with only a center strip of asphalt or a full-width gravel street full of holes. In most cases, these streets also lack the required sidewalks and curbs.

Portland has an interactive map showing pavement maintenance responsibility where residents and developers can check a property’s frontage for added road maintenance obligations. According to Portland’s Property Owner Maintenance Code, it is “the exclusive duty of the abutting property owners to construct, reconstruct, repair and maintain nonmaintained street in a condition reasonably safe for the uses that are made of the street and adjoining properties.” This policy puts a financial cost and liability on the homeowners and, in some cases, limits development rights that require a property to have frontage on a street maintained by the City of Portland or the State of Oregon.

From Portland’s map showing pavement maintenance responsibility in Montavilla. Red lines are privately maintained

There are several ways a street can become the City’s responsibility. A developer can improve the roadway to minimum PBOT standards to be accepted. However, in most cases, the improvement must extend an entire block from intersection to intersection before Portland will begin maintaining it. Property owners on a nonmaintained street can form a Local Improvement District (LID) with the City. That cooperative method requires people to pay for their portion of repairs. The City bureaus often contribute to the project funding and replace or service underground utilities as part of the project. The SE 80th Ave and Mill Street LID is an example of such a project. On some rare occasions, Portland will reconstruct a street as part of a larger mobility project. Recently, that occurred on NE Everett Street from NE 76th Avenue to NE 78th Avenue. The replacement of that unimproved gravel road is part of the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project that is nearing completion.

People living on unpaved roads are not entirely left without support from the City. In 2018, PBOT started the Gravel Street Service to repair Portland’s over 50 miles of nonmaintained gravel streets. That program is on a three-year cycle, with crews focusing on different sections of the City each year. Aside from that program, property owners on nonmaintained streets must pay to keep their roads usable. This code change does nothing more than clarify wording, making it unmistakable that the City is not responsible for these streets’ upkeep.

Article and photo by

Jacob Loeb

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Infrastructure

Gate Replaces Barrier on NE 72nd Dr

On Friday, March 22nd, crews installed a new heavy-gauge steel gate on NE 72nd Drive. This new single-lane gate will prevent northbound automotive travel through the Rose City Golf Course. It replaces concrete jersey barriers installed by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) after the unauthorized removal of other traffic diversion infrastructure.

Now removed concrete jersey barriers

In this new configuration, cyclists and pedestrians will share a recently built multi-use path that leads from NE Tillamook Street to just north of the golf course parking lot. These updates are part of the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project, which is nearing completion. Drivers will again be able to use a portion of NE 72nd Drive to access the parking lot, but the closed gate will prevent them from driving further north. Southbound drivers can continue to use the street unobstructed.

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.

Infrastructure

PBOT Grows Serious About Safety on NE Glisan

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) recently received State approval to lower speed limits from 30 to 25 mph on NE Glisan Street between NE 57th and 82nd Avenues. These lower speeds, combined with funded intersection improvements at NE 80th and 82nd Avenues and unfunded enhanced crossings planned to the west, create a concerted effort to improve walkability. With NE Glisan Street’s speed limit already 25 mph west of NE 57th Avenue, this change provides a consistent traffic flow along the growing Neighborhood Main Street.

PBOT revealed the planned speed change at the March 12th Vestal School PTA meeting to an overwhelmingly supportive crowd. PBOT representative Dylan Rivera said in a subsequent communication that crews will replace the current speed limit signs within the next few months, and new speed restrictions will take effect when posted. Lower speeds can help people avoid crashes by giving drivers more reaction time, and research shows that it can reduce injury if a collision occurs. “Small changes in speed can have big impacts in making our streets safer. As people travel faster, the risk of death or serious injury rises dramatically,” explained Rivera.

Lowering the speed limit is only one part of improving pedestrian safety, particularly when some drivers regularly exceed the current 30 mph speed limit. To help people cross and encourage appropriate speeds, PBOT intends to install more pedestrian refuge islands with curb extensions that visually narrow the roadway. These inroad elements also encourage more thoughtful turning by shortening the turning radius. They also plan to add marked high-visibility crosswalks, cautioning motorists to yield to pedestrians. The City needs additional money for enhanced crossings west of NE 74th Avenue, but PBOT is committed to seeking funding for those projects.

Draft design image for NE Glisan at 80th Ave. Similar crossings possible along NE Glisan. Courtesy PBOT

Speed limit changes are not arbitrary, and PBOT required approval from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to make these changes. A 2022 state law allows Oregon cities to apply for the authority to designate speed limits on roads they maintain. However, those municipalities must designate an engineer to oversee the process, and Rivera explained that ODOT currently controls most of Portland’s speed limits.

Drivers should anticipate seeing the new 25 mph signs on NE Glisan west of NE 82nd Avenue within the coming months. Portland Police will know about the change, and the bureau may deploy its Photo Enforcement van to the area as it often does on SE Stark Street, where the speed limit lowers to 20 mph. Pedestrians and cyclists may see progress on the NE 80th Avenue crossing begin in the latter half of 2024. Look for more news about NE Glisan crossings as funding sources become available.

Article and phots 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

Safe Ride St. Patrick’s Day Weekend

If people need a safe and sober ride after their St Patrick’s Day celebrations, the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Safe Ride Home program has discounts to help. Starting on Friday, March 15th at 5 p.m., select locations will offer up to $20 off a taxi ride via a paper coupon, or anyone can receive $10 off an Uber or Lyft ride with a digital coupon for rides starting in Portland city limits. Riders must use paper and digital coupons by 3 a.m. on Monday, March 18th. Supplies are limited, and other restrictions may apply. However, this is an incentive to find a responsible way home after enjoying the holiday.

The Safe Ride Home website provides a complete list of participating locations offering taxi coupons. This year, the local bar Montavilla Station at 417 SE 80th Avenue will participate in this program. City staff encourage people to also consider planning ahead and using Portland Streetcar, MAX, or a TriMet bus to travel to and from their destination.

Safe Ride Home 2024 graphic courtesy PBOT

Article and photo by

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Infrastructure

Utility Work on SE 82nd and Ash

Road crews again closed sections of SE Ash Street at 82nd Avenue this week as they service underground utilities and demolished a pedestrian refuge island. The round of work that started March 5th clears the way for substantial improvements to the protected pedestrian crossing at this intersection, replacing older infrastructure with a larger raised median that contains space for street trees or other plantings. The new mid-street structure will offer pedestrian cutouts for at-grade crossings from both corners of SE Ash Street, but it will now prevent drivers from turning left and prohibit cars from traveling through the intersection on SE Ash Street.

Contractors working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) cut through the road surface at this intersection on Tuesday and removed the existing pedestrian refuge island. Soon, workers will install the currently staged sewer pipe underground, replacing the aging infrastructure in this area. In January, NW Natural Gas reworked pipes ahead of this median installation project. All utility companies must update their subsurface lines before the new above-ground concrete infrastructure potentially blocks access or causes interference.

PBOT provided design document

This project is part of the 82nd Avenue Critical Fixes collection of safety improvements underway across 82nd Avenue. PBOT recently released its 60% Draft Concept Design for the 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project, which will add more raised medians, sidewalks, and street trees along 82nd Avenue. People interested in learning more or providing comments can attend a March 13th McDaniel High School hosted meeting at 2735 NE 82nd Avenue or complete an online survey. People traveling through SE Ash Street at 82nd Avenue should anticipate temporary lane closures and detours.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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

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

Pothole Crews Increase Repair Work With Strong Montavilla Start

On March 5th, road crews and officials from the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) came to Montavilla to begin a concentrated pothole repair initiative, patching the many streets damaged during the winter storms. Media representatives joined PBOT’s Director at SE 84th Avenue between Clay and Hawthorne Streets to watch workers mill and repave a 600-by-14-foot-wide section of the street. Then, members of PBOT’s pothole repair team patched many large asphalt holes on SE Clay Street.

PBOT addresses minor road repairs throughout the year, attempting to fill potholes within 30 days of receiving reports. This roadwork increased momentum after the winter storm, with crews filling almost 3,000 potholes across the city between January 24th and February 26th. Over the next two weeks, PBOT will increase the number of people patching the street, with seven teams working full days filling potholes and repaving sections of the street where needed. PBOT will concentrate on roads east of 82nd Avenue during this repair initiative. “We focused there because we recognize that there are a number of locations where folks have seen problems but have not previously received services. We also recognize that many of the people who live in this part of town don’t report issues,” explained PBOT’s Director Millicent Williams.

PBOT Director Millicent Williams

Director Williams recognizes the urgent need for pothole maintenance but stresses the inefficiencies of this type of repair. Potholes cost around $300 per square foot to repair, while preventative pavement maintenance in the same area costs between $0.55 and 2.25. “We’ve under-invested in maintenance, in this case, for decades, and so we see a failure of the subsurface of the street that helps to create the environment for potholes to appear. Hopefully, we can address it through funding,” said Williams. PBOT faces a $4.5 Billion maintenance backlog and demising sources for funding. Director Williams is actively looking to secure new funding sources to support system repairs. “I think we’re at a moment, as we look to the future of the city, that creativity is going to rule the day,” explained Williams.

As Portlanders look around the city, they see PBOT crews building new roads and other safety improvements, often asking why Portland prioritizes those projects but not general maintenance. Many large infrastructure projects receive dedicated funds from Federal or State agencies. That money can only address specific project goals, with PBOT unable to redirect it toward general repair. Nearly 75% of PBOT’s funding comes from sources that prescribe its use, and only 2% comes from the city’s General Fund. Real estate developers contribute to PBOT’s funding through substantial System Development Charges (SDC) and Local Transportation Infrastructure Charges (LTIC). Director Williams noted that those funds are decreasing due to a slowing in construction. That shortfall, along with the lost gas tax revenue from electric vehicles and reduced parking fees from downtown, stresses the Bureau’s maintenance budget.

PBOT Director Millicent Williams pointing to pothole patch

For the short term, PBOT will work deliberately to address the dangerous potholes that make Portland roads challenging to use. However, Director Williams is determined to find solutions to road infrastructure maintenance that will reduce the need for frequent patchwork and bring the city’s network of streets back to good standing. Expect to see more crews working on the streets over the next few weeks and keep roads clear of items when PBOT posts signs about planned work in the area.

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

82nd Ave 60% Draft Concept Design

Update Feb 29th, 2024: PBOT scheduled two in-person events to present the project’s 60% design refinements and collect public comment. Details are provided below and available online for the March 4th and March 13th meetings.

Article originally published February 1st, 2024

In late January, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) released its 60% Draft Concept Design for the 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project, which includes $55 million in improvements to the former State Highway. This collection of road and sidewalk reconstruction work will deliver many safety upgrades to the high-crash corridor and provide approximately 250 new trees to an area that suffers from the heat island effect.

For PBOT staff, the 60% designed phase represents a significant milestone for a project. At this point, many of the streetscape attributes are outlined and placed on the map. The transportation bureau has hosted many public meetings with community members and organizations. Then, following the group and individual outreach, staff reworked proposals to adjust design concepts to accommodate access needs. However, this advancement in the planning process does still allow for changes. PBOT encourages people to participate in an informative survey or the two in-person meetings in February and March. City staff will schedule those meetings soon and ask people to visit the project website for updates.

SE 82nd Ave at SE Mill. Image courtesy PBOT

The 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project spans five miles, and the ten-page design document provides an annotated scrolling map view of the work area. It indicates the placement of raised median islands, separators, and signal equipment upgrades. The document marks spaces for tree planting or other foliage with green dots and lighter green lines. Later design work by PBOT will determine the final number of trees planted and the botanical space created. Crews working on this project will build or upgrade 15,000 feet of sidewalk on 82nd Avenue or adjacent side streets and update or replace 200 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps.

Drivers will benefit from the repaving of two segments totaling 2.5 miles of smoother asphalt. Crews will replace the street surface from NE Siskiyou to Schuyler streets and SE Mill Street to SE Foster Road. Crews will completely rebuild the outer two travel lanes in these segments. Most of 82nd Avenue has insufficient base layer support for heavy traffic on the curbside lanes. Historically, they supported street parking, and engineers did not anticipate the current four-travel-lane design.

SE 82nd Ave at SE Harrison. Image courtesy PBOT

Montavilla residents will see a small portion of the repaving planned in this work cycle. However, several in-street elements and sidewalk work will occur in the Neighborhood. Around 200 feet of SE Mill Street east of SE 82nd Avenue will receive new pavement and sidewalks with street trees. PBOT plans to rebuild the sidewalk across 82nd Avenue from the Portland Community College SE campus, connecting to a newly protected mid-block crossing. The enhanced raised center median will have space for street trees and other plantings, allowing roots to spread beyond the confines of typical tree wells. PBOT recently expanded unpaved sections of street median throughout the project in this recent design, making way for better planting zones and reducing the heat radiating from concrete.

SE 82nd Ave at PCC SE Campus. Image courtesy PBOT

PBOT’s designs for the 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project provide better driving conditions for drivers, but the majority of work centers on improving conditions for those outside a car. In some places where travel lanes on 82nd Avenue are wider than needed, the transportation bureau intends to extend sidewalks in the roadway and plant street trees. Some design elements reduce opportunities for left-hand turns, aggregating them in safe, predictable locations. Crews will rebuild or replace traffic signals and paint high-visibility crosswalks at many intersections. Cyclists and pedestrians should benefit from more places to safely cross 82nd Avenue, while people traveling along the roadway will have more shade and space away from traffic.

SE 82nd Ave at SE Clinton. Image courtesy PBOT

Crews will complete this phase of work by the end of 2026, but it does not represent the entirety of upgrades planned for this area. The City is developing many more projects related to the jurisdictional transfer of 82nd Avenue from the Oregon Department of Transportation to PBOT. That process came with $185 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, PBOT, and State transportation budgets. City Council will vote on approval for the 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project this spring, with construction starting after receiving that final endorsement. People can take the survey through March 31st and participate in the in-person events when PBOT staff schedule them.

Update: PBOT scheduled the in person meetings

By

Jacob Loeb

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

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

NE Halsey Safety and Access Project

Construction crews will begin working on improvement projects along NE Halsey Street this summer. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will reshape the busy roadway from NE 69th to 92nd Avenues, reducing travel lanes to make room for bike infrastructure and creating nearly 1,500 feet of new sidewalk on the north side of the street between 85th and 92nd Avenues. Several enhanced pedestrian crossing points along the project path will increase safety, implementing a mini roundabout, flashing beacons, and high visibility crosswalk markings.

The summer 2024 work, currently in the planning phase, combines the efforts of the NE Halsey Street – Safety and Access to Transit Project with the 70s Neighborhood Greenway to improve conditions on the high-traffic street. Drivers will lose one travel lane in each direction between NE 68th and 81st Avenues but gain a center turn lane, aiding in safer left turns. Cyclists will receive bike lanes on both sides of NE Halsey Street from NE 68th 81st Avenues. Riders will transition onto two-way buffered bike lanes on the south side of NE Halsey Street between Jonesmore Street and 92nd Avenue.

Early PBOT lane reconfiguration cross section shows spacing. Note that the 5′ bike lanes are shown as 6′ wide in some more recent design documents

People trying to connect to NE Halsey Street from the NE 82nd Avenue MAX station will see improvements to the existing multiuse path between 81st and 82nd Avenues on the northern edge of Eastern Cathay‘s parking lot. Pedestrians crossing NE Halsey will gain new high-visibility crosswalks at NE 69th, 80th, and 84th Avenues. People crossing the faster-paced street at NE 88th Avenue can use the request button for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB), signaling drivers to yield. In addition to the new sidewalks, crews working for PBOT will reconstruct curb ramps to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many TriMet Line 77 bus stops along the project path will also see improvements.

2020 rendering of Intersection at 68th Ave. Image courtesy of PBOT

Funding for this project includes money for street lighting analysis with an option for additional lighting if needed. The Federal government provided $5,300,000 towards these enhancements. Developers paying Transportation System Development fees contributed $2,580,000 in funding. Because this project spans a Freeway overpass, the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Bridge Program supplied $412,120. Other Portland Bureau funding sources will provide the remaining project costs.

2020 rendering of mini roundabout at 80th Ave. Image courtesy of PBOT

Funds from the Greenway project will complete the construction of two pedestrian refuge islands and a small raised concrete median on NE Halsey Street. In September, cement masons finished reconstructing sidewalk corners and adding mid-block curb ramps for the 70s Greenway crossing at NE Halsey Street and 76th Avenue. PBOT paused that work last year until crews could remove the existing lane striping and repaint lines in a new configuration. Until that reconfiguration occurs, road crews cannot create the refuge island because it would block part of a travel lane.

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

Planning and funding for the NE Halsey Street improvements have taken years to come to fruition. Residents challenged by the current conditions on this dangerous roadway have advocated for this work for nearly a decade, and they should soon see the results of their work. Expect construction delays on NE Halsey Street this summer, but by the end of the year, people should begin to feel safer traveling through this section of Portland.

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, Demolition, Infrastructure, View of Montavilla

City to Demolish House for New Street

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will demolish a 1951-era single-family residence to build a new segment of NE Davis Street. The city purchased the 700-square-foot single-story home at 205 NE 100th Avenue and three other vacant lots to construct a two-block street between NE 97th and 100th Avenues. This work is part of a Local Improvement District (LID) set to rebuild roads and add sidewalks ahead of redevelopment in the Gateway District.

Portland Maps illustration showing street improvements and property boundaries

The LID work will take place in two phases beginning in Fall 2024. Most improvements will occur on NE 97th Avenue north of E Burnside Street. Crews will repave the street and add sidewalks to this currently curbless segment of roadway. Cement masons will install Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps at each new intersection, and lighting crews will install new street lights along the updated sections of NE 97th Avenue, NE Couch Street, and NE Davis Street. During the first construction phase, PBOT will build one block of NE Davis Street from NE 97th to 99th Avenue. In Spring 2025, crews will begin the second phase of construction, extending NE Davis Street from NE 99th to 100th Avenue and creating a new one-block segment of NE Couch Street from NE 97th to 99th Avenue.

Funding for the LID comes from adjacent property owners and other government sources. At formation, the total budget was $14,585,083. LID funding accounted for $9,770,408. PBOT provided $2 million from collected System Development Charges and $800,000 from other PBOT budgets. Prosper Portland contributed the remaining $2 million. PBOT paid $2,336,712 for the four lots that will become NE Davis Street. Land left over from those lots not used for road construction will revert to the adjacent property owners.

PBOT provided graphic

PBOT will construct these new streets to modern standards with roadways that are 36 feet wide and sidewalks on both sides of the street. The pedestrian area will offer a 6-foot wide through zone and a 4-foot planting strip between the sidewalk and curb. The LID will also create a new marked crosswalk on E Burnside Street across Interstate 205. This crossing will help pedestrians and cyclists travel across E Burnside Street to connect with the I-205 Multiuse Path. BPOT intends to reconstruct the traffic signal at NE 97th Avenue and E Burnside Street, including new crosswalks.

PBOT does not often create new streets in an established neighborhood. Housing developments like those planned for this area often use private driveways and parking lots to grant residents access. Private streetscapes are not always designed with adequate sidewalks and are not open for public use. This extension of these streets will repair the grid and offer Portlanders better east/west access by all modes of travel. The developments within these newly defined blocks will benefit from the new streets, as will everyone traveling through this area. Look for work to begin later this year.

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.