Tag: Washington Street

Infrastructure

High-visibility Crossing at SE 80th and Stark

On April 18th, crews with Hicks Striping & Curbing began applying high-visibility crosswalks and bike crossings to SE Stark Street at SE 80th Avenue. Workers plan to continue the street painting process one block south on SE Washington, completing this section of the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project. With road markings applied, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) can energize the rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFB) installed at each intersection to aid pedestrians and cyclists trying to cross these busy streets. Winter weather delayed this work, leaving both intersections without painted lanes or crosswalks. This work is a welcomed update to what has grown to be a problematic crossing point during construction.

Road crews began project work at this intersection in June 2023, completing most infrastructure work by January 2024. During that time, street users did not have a marked crosswalk or the ability to use the installed RRFBs. According to PBOT representative Hannah Schafer, crossing lights require street markings. “We must complete the striping of the crosswalks before we can turn on the RRFBs. As soon as the weather allows, we plan to complete the striping, and then we will activate the RRFBs.” That delay frustrated many pedestrians who found that cars would not stop reliably for people attempting to cross.

Drivers traveling through these intersections and users of the Greenway should plan for delays and detours during this phase of work. Crews will need to close through traffic on SE 80th Avenue and reduce east-west travel lanes one at a time to apply the street markings. Work will take several days to complete, but the favorable weather forecast should allow for the speedy completion of this project. People on foot and bike should have a safer experience crossing SE Stark and Washington Streets at 80th shortly, thanks to the striped crosswalk, bike crossing, and RRFBs.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure

New SE Washington Signal at 86th Ave

Over the last few weeks, crews working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) installed electrical conduit and signal pole mounting hardware on SE Washington Street at SE 86th Avenue. In the next phase of this project, cement masons will patch the sidewalk removed for conduit trench work. Then, workers will install traffic signal poles and equipment to support the new pedestrian and bicycle crossing infrastructure.

Electrical conduit and signal pole mounting hardware

This intersection is part of Portland’s bikeway network and a frequently used route to several parks and schools. A decade ago, SE Stark Street received similar safety enhancements at 86th Avenue. At that intersection, road crews installed a raised median that acts as a pedestrian refuge island and traffic diverter. Cutouts for bicycles allow for two-wheeled north-south travel while preventing cars from crossing SE Stark Street. SE Stark and Washington Streets are part of a one-way couplet that supports similar traffic levels, making this work a high priority for the transportation bureau.

PBOT provide intersection design document MV News added red dots are signal request buttons

Unlike the SE Stark improvements, the SE Washington Street design will not prevent cross-traffic on SE 86th Avenue. Instead, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) will activate when a pedestrian or bike rider presses a button to request the signal. PBOT will mount the flashing beacons at the sides of SE Washington to alert eastbound drivers. Each sidewalk corner will have a button to activate the RRFB mounted at pedestrian height near the curb ramps. Two additional controls are placed at the curb’s edge so cyclists can start the flashing beacons without dismounting from their bikes. Traffic engineers positioned signal activation hardware on the right side of the road near the intersection for both north and southbound cyclists, allowing them to pull over just a few feet to press the button.

Design documents indicate painters will install green striped bike-crossing markings next to this intersection’s existing high visibility crosswalk. Additional street lighting infill is also part of the intersection design, making this heavily tree-covered area safer at night. This signal work is part of a larger project constructing traffic signals and adding streetlights across the city. Crews are already ahead of the posted schedule for this project. Work may slow down during the winter months. However, if the pace continues, PBOT could complete this crossing before the announced summer 2024 timeframe.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Crime

Significant Police Response in Montavilla

On August 9th, Portland Police issued a shelter-in-place order in Montavilla as they attempted to apprehend the person suspected of threatening people with a firearm. Police initially received a call at 12:19 p.m. reporting a suspicious person with a weapon at SE 82nd Avenue and Ash Street. That situation quickly escalated to a substantial police response involving armored vehicles and tactical officers. The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) eventually took a suspect into custody without injury and recovered a gun as evidence.

According to Police, arriving officers located the man suspected of brandishing a weapon. However, he refused to comply with officers, taking off on foot. Around 1 p.m., police officers confronted the person near SE 81st and Washington Street observing what they believed was a gun. Assisting PPB members created a six-block perimeter around the suspect bordered by SE Stark Street, SE 82nd Avenue, SE Morrison Street, and SE 80th Avenue. PPB utilized the public safety alert system to issue a shelter-in-place order for the immediate area as a precaution.

Image from Portland Maps with MV News illustrations showing Police perimeter in red

Because Police believed the suspect had a firearm and was non-compliant, the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) responded to the incident with assistance from PPB’s Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT). A neighbor near the incident and home at the time heard the event. They described 20 to 30 minutes of police instruction to the suspect that went partially obeyed. Police instructed the individual not to reach for his weapon. The person complied by keeping his hands on his head. However, subsequent requests were not followed, preventing officers from safely approaching the suspect. Eventually, he followed all commands, and Police took the person into custody without physical injury.

This Police response was significant in scope and received substantial attention from people in the area. Some observers remarked that the show of force was unnecessary. However, the PPB has established procedures to address situations where suspects are armed, and policies also prevent support from alternative response divisions like the Portland Street Response when a weapon is involved. Even if police actions seemed larger than necessary to some, the process PPB followed did result in a none violent apprehension of a potentially armed individual.

By

Jacob Loeb

Correction: An earlier version of this article had the date as August 19th instead of August 9th.

Construction, Infrastructure

Corner Reconstruction on SE 92nd

Crews working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) are reconstructing sidewalk corners across Montavilla this summer, focusing on the SE Stark and Washington couplet. That work included a previously challenging Intersection for pedestrians at SE 92nd Avenue and Washington Street. Crossing improvements are also underway south along SE 92nd Avenue at Taylor, near Berrydale Park. The new sidewalk infrastructure feature Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant crosswalk ramps, improved stormwater management, and extended corners to shorten crossing distance and provide more space for people waiting to cross.

The northeast corner of SE 92nd Avenue and Washington Street was too small for safe pedestrian use. A utility pole blocked the few feet of sidewalk available to anyone walking along SE Washington, and water would flow over the sidewalk on its way to the often clogged storm drain. The new sidewalk corner repositions the drain and pushes the corner into the street, creating more pedestrian space. Each of the eight curb ramps at this intersection now aligns with the direction of travel, making it safer for sight-impaired people and those using a wheelchair to cross in a straight line. The north side of SE Washington Street still lacks functional sidewalk width from SE 92nd to 94th Avenues. However, this is a substantial improvement in pedestrian safety.

SE 92nd Ave and Washington St’s northeast corner before reconstruction

Down the street, crews are beginning work at SE 92nd Avenue and Taylor Street. These new corners will help people access Berrydale Park and the adjacent school. Corner improvements will create better crossings and prepare the area for the Berrydale Park Improvement Project, which will update sidewalks around the public greenspace in 2025. Walking along SE 92nd Avenue should soon become more accessible and safe for all users. Expect construction to continue through the summer.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure

70’s Greenway Construction Begins

On May 22nd, heavy equipment removed two existing sidewalk corners at SE Washington Street and 80th Avenue. This intersection is a critical crossing point for the new 70’s Greenway project that will allow pedestrians and bicyclists safe travel parallel to 82nd Avenue, connecting residents through a mostly straight north-south route. Contractors working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will reconstruct the westside corners with new curb ramps, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB), and crosswalk striping.

The $4.5 million Greenway project will primarily cut through Montavilla along 80th Avenue, adding improved crossing points to the neighborhood’s many collector and arterial streets. Road crews installed temporary asphalt sidewalk corners to cover the site ahead of the concrete work planned in the coming weeks. PBOT will pay for this work through Federal funds and the System Development Charges, which are fees collected from developers constructing projects that increase the use of a property.

Northwest corners at SE Washington Street and 80th Avenue

Over the next few months, PBOT will build new Americans Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps on the west side of SE Stark and Washington Streets at SE 80th Avenue, including RRFBs at both intersections. Hannah Schafer, Communications Director for PBOT, explained that crews would return later in the summer to install pedestrian and bicycle striping across the two busy streets between the new westside corners.

Southwest corners at SE Washington Street and 80th Avenue

The 70’s Greenway project will create a multimodal connector bringing additional people through the core of Montavilla. Additionally, the safety improvements for the Greenway will add enhanced crossings at dangerous streets where residents have advocated for updates. Expect continued work in the neighborhood along 80th Avenue and other nearby streets through the remainder of 2023 as more intersections receive updates.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure

ADA Corners and Storm Drains on SE Washington

During the month of May, commuters squeezed past road crews working on the sidewalk corners, and storm drains along SE Washington Street east of 82nd Avenue. Over the next few months, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will build new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps on SE Stark and Washington Streets between SE 80th Avenue and Interstate 205. These infrastructure improvements bring street crossings along the busy roadway into compliance, improve stormwater management, and expand the pedestrian zone making people more visible to motorists.

SE Washington and 90th northwest corner

Cement masons are currently working on the corners on SE Washington Street at the intersection of SE 90th Avenue. At the same time, drainage crews are installing new grated collection boxes and connecting pipes at SE 88th Avenue. The storm drains installed along the street’s edge collect rainwater before it pools at the bottom of the ADA ramps and prevent street flooding in heavy rainstorms.

SE Washington and 90th southwest corner

The 2023 Summer construction season will have a reoccurring impact along the Stark-Washington couplet. PBOT will reconstruct many corners along both roads. Drivers should use caution while traveling, and pedestrians should expect to cross the street at times to detour around closed corners. Bicyclists should use extreme caution around construction as they may need to merge into car traffic lanes to avoid obstructions.

SE Washington and 88th southeast corner

By

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Demolition, Food and Drink, New Business, View of Montavilla

Proposed Chick-fil-A on SE Stark

This month, the Chick-fil-A development team continued their preliminary work on redeveloping 9950 SE Stark Street. Designers have modified the project from the Early Assistance meeting last May. The current Early Assistance no longer seeks to demolish the approximately 7,012 square foot building or construct a drive-thru lane on the property. Instead, crews will rehabilitate the existing structure to host the fast food restaurant with 98 indoor seats. Plans still include some outdoor seating.

Currently zoned as Central Commercial (CX), City planners expect new developments on this property to maximize density and encourage urban activities. The CX zone allows projects with tall buildings placed close together. Developers working in this zone should create pedestrian-oriented structures with a strong emphasis on a safe and attractive streetscape. The proposed project on SE Stark Street will be a nonconforming use of the existing site. Portland allows noncomplying use within a zone when the building predates the new standards and only expects zone compliance to occur when property owners significantly redevelop the site. The status of nonconforming structures is not affected by changes in ownership or tenant. The project’s initial demolition and drive-thru-oriented redevelopment plan would need to adhere to the CX standards. This new renovation plan will create a different Chick-fil-A than most of the restaurant’s other locations but retain its nonconforming status and maintain the usage pattern of previous tenants.

The single-story structure, first built in 1984, hosted a wide range of restaurants and entertainment venues over the years. Rax Roast Beef owned the property until 1990. Recent tenets included Tony Roma’s restaurant, Hooters, Mystic Gentlemen’s Club, and Venue Gentlemen’s Club. If approved, Chick-fil-A will shift this location’s use back towards general fast food and away from adult-orientated services. The lack of a drive-thru window will limit some of the traffic impact experienced by the change in use. However, based on other Chick-fil-A locations, this could become one of the most popular destinations in the surrounding blocks and attract additional vehicles to the area. The project is likely months away from approval and may fail to move beyond the planning phase. Look for permit applications sometime next year if the City approves this site’s reuse.

Article originally published May 13th, 2022.

A recent land-use Early Assistance application indicates Chick-fil-A may soon open a new restaurant on SE Stark Street. If approved, developers will demolish the 1984-era building and construct a new fast food restaurant with a drive-thru window. Located at 9950 SE Stark Street, the 36,590 square-foot half-block property currently houses an adult entertainment club and bar.

The Chick-fil-A development team intends to construct a 4,991 square foot building with 98 indoor seats for guests. Outdoor canopies and an outdoor eating area with 12 patio seats would surround the new building. The property sits between SE Stark and SE Washington Streets, aligned at SE 99th Avenue near Mall 205. The site offers a variety of vehicle access points and is near the number 15 TriMet bus line. Other Chick-fil-A restaurants tend to attract many visitors, sometimes with lines spilling onto the neighboring street. However, this proposed Chick-fil-A is just six miles from the Clackamas restaurant and seven miles from the Gresham location. That density of stores may reduce peak demand for the proposed eatery and avoid traffic issues sometimes seen at other Chick-fil-A sites.

Developers use Early Assistance applications during the pre-planning phase of a project. Many proposals do not continue past this stage, and this Chick-fil-A may never materialize in this location. However, the addition of a popular destination restaurant in the area could draw in more visitors and improve business for neighboring stores. Expect to see updates regarding building permits if this project moves forward.

By

Jacob Loeb

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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

By

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, New Residence

Infill House on SE 88th Ave

Framing work is underway on a new single-family residence between SE Stark and Washington streets on SE 88th Avenue. Two years ago, the new owners of 8739 SE Washington Street split the lot and requested permission to demolish the detached single-car garage. With that site preparation completed, crews recently began foundation work for the two-story house.

Located at 555 SE 88th Avenue, the new building features three bedrooms with two and a half bathrooms. Designers placed an efficient kitchen at the front of the house, with a combined living room and dining room occupying the back of the first floor. The architect centered a guest half-bath on the main level and placed the attached single-car garage to the south of the living space. A small covered back patio behind the garage allows for some outdoor seating.

On the home’s second floor, an Owner’s Suite spans the back third of the level. It has a vaulted ceiling, walk-in closet, dual vanity, and separate toilet room. Two standard bedrooms split the front of the house with a laundry room and full bathroom, filling the remainder of the second-story.

The square footprint of this infill home should look natural when complete. It reuses the existing driveway that once served the detached garage, and the house faces a different street than the original 1947 era building on the lot. Those design choices should blend the structure into the neighborhood’s esthetic without appearing cluttered. Look for construction to continue through summer with an eventual real estate listing sometime this year.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure, View of Montavilla

Federal Funds to Support SE Stark-Washington Improvements

Portland City Council voted Wednesday to accept approximately $17 million in federal grants distributed by Metro through the Regional Flexible Funding Allocation program. One of the four new capital projects funded will impact Montavilla on the SE Stark Washington couplet. Portland will spend $11.4 million on the project, improving road conditions for all modes of travel between SE 92nd and 109th avenues.

The road work spans a busy section of the paired streets that crossover I205 and connects Montavilla to the Gateway Regional Center. Some of the planned improvements include new transit islands and bus lanes, protected bike lanes, improved pedestrian crossings at existing signals, a new pedestrian crossing at SE 105th Avenue, new ADA curb ramps, and street lighting. Work will also resurface or repair pavement. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) believes this work will counter the historic auto-oriented street design at this location and reduce crashes in the area. Montavilla will receive only a tiny portion of the total improvements planned. However, the project will improve conditions for pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transportation users traveling the neighborhood. 

SE Washington Street at I205 south on-ramp

PBOT has not yet created the final plans for this project. However, the proposal contains several illustrations demonstrating a rough outline of possible changes. During the project’s design phase, City engineers will likely need to adjust the placement and scale of these improvements. However, staff based the budget on including these features in the approximate locations indicated in the documents submitted to City Council.

PBOT illustrated view of street improvements

When completed, residents will see SE Stark street gaining protected bike lanes continuing west across the I205 overpass and ending at SE 92nd Avenue. Bike lane crossings and crosswalks will receive fresh high-visibility paint. Curbside parking will move further out into the street, allowing bikes to travel against the road’s edge behind a wide buffer of parked cars. Consequentially, the number 15 TriMet bus stop in front of Motel 6 will move onto a new transit island in line with the parked cars. This stop currently has a temporary bus platform that PBOT installed during the pandemic. Unlike the current design, the new island will allow bicycles to pass behind the bus stop and away from traffic.

Motel 6 number 15 bus stop and temporary platform

On Montavilla’s section of SE Washington Street, most work will focus on pavement repairs and some lane reconfiguration. PBOT intends to add a dedicated right turn lane for people merging onto I205 south. Crews will reconstruct and enlarge the corner adjacent to the turn lane to support pedestrians and bicycles. The new bike lane on SE Washington Street will place riders onto the sidewalk to cross at a more visible location.

Workers will install new bike signals with dedicated signage and upgrade the existing pedestrian signals. Drivers turning onto I205’s south on-ramp will have a new turn-only light with a “NO TURN ON RED” sign. Signalized intersections will receive new Advanced Transportation Controller (ATC) equipment to manage traffic flow intelligently throughout the day.

Road improvements like this can take years to materialize after funding. Portland prioritized this project in the Growing Transit Communities Plan, adopted in 2017. Design work and property owner engagements will come in the next year. However, securing $5,332,000 in grant money for this work should move this project forward at an increased pace. Look for updates on the project in the coming year.

SE Stark Street showing current bike lane moving to the curbside

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.