By Kris McDowell
At the end of August, state, city and community leaders joined the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to celebrate the groundbreaking of the 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project which will bring improvements to a two and a half mile stretch of 82nd Ave., one of the most dangerous streets in the city. The stretch of NE 82nd Ave. runs from Fremont St. to Schuyler St. and the SE 82nd Ave. stretch from Mill St. to Foster Rd.
The upgrades include new pavement from curb to curb at the NE Fremont intersection, from NE Siskiyou to Schuyler streets, from SE Mill to Franklin streets and SE Schiller St. to Foster Rd. In some sections of the roadway, the outer two travel lanes will be completely rebuilt from the ground up.
The project will also build new or replace existing traffic signals or pedestrian crossings at the seven intersections; update the area with modern signs and street markings; and widen or upgrade over 10,000 linear feet of sidewalk. By providing safe and comfortable places for people to cross 82nd Ave. with pedestrian signals, bicycle signals (at neighborhood greenways) and median refuge islands, the risk of serious injuries and fatalities will be reduced. Accessibility to the area will be increased by updating or replacing 140 ADA curb ramps for people using mobility devices, wheelchairs and strollers. Additionally, the project will improve access to TriMet Line 72, the most used bus route in Oregon, and improve stormwater and drainage.
In the most recent 10-year period of available crash data (2012-2021), there have been 14 traffic deaths and 122 people seriously injured in crashes on 82nd Ave. south of Lombard St. within the city of Portland. Preliminary estimates for 2022–2023 include four additional traffic deaths occurring on 82nd Ave.
In that 10-year period, more than 90 percent of traffic deaths were pedestrians or bicyclists, or people in cars turning left at locations without signals. Two-thirds of all serious injuries were pedestrians or bicyclists, or people in cars turning left or crossing at locations without signals. Safe pedestrian crossings and median islands, two of the most effective measures to reduce or eliminate pedestrian and turning vehicle crashes, are being built to reduce the number of injuries and deaths.
Thanks to the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF), PBOT will plant more than 175 trees along 82nd Ave. to mitigate the impact of extreme heat events. Trees will be planted in the medians where possible and along sidewalks, making walking along 82nd Ave. more comfortable and cooler for people and pets. With this investment, the City will begin to address the need for more tree canopy in East Portland, one critical way to mitigate temperatures during extreme heat events.
The construction will continue to ramp up through the winter as part of PBOT’s multi-year Building a Better 82nd program and is expected to last through fall 2026. Typical work hours will be 7 am-3:30 pm Monday-Friday. Occasional evening and weekend work will be required for some project elements, such as paving. At least one travel lane in each direction and adjacent businesses on 82nd Ave. will remain open during construction, but the traveling public is advised to expect delays. There will also be dust, noise, vibrations and heavy equipment near the work zone.
PBOT will provide periodic updates throughout construction. Those interested in receiving construction updates can sign up at bit.ly/3XGWYoh.