Heads up to Portland commuters: starting Wednesday, June 25, you might want to give NE 26th Avenue a wide berth. According to the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), there will be some significant repairs and repaving happening from NE Broadway to Knott Street. They're banking on wrapping this project up quickly, targeting a July 3 end date.
These are not your average road works. In usual fashion, work crews will hit the pavement from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on business days, and possibly even on weekends to get ahead. With one travel lane being refurbished at a time, the opposing traffic will have to wait its turn, but TriMet buses will continue pass through the under-construction lanes, ensuring those on public transport don't get held up.
Local wallets are funding these smooth streets through the Fixing Our Streets program, a boost from the 10-cent gas tax that voters didn't hesitate to renew in May 2024. The focus of these funds? It's all about that preventive maintenance. According to the PBOT statement, the treatments they're doing keep our roads not just operable, but also adding years to their life, much to the relief of daily commuters.
Delays? Yeah, expect them, warns the PBOT. As the crews lay down their work on NE 26th Avenue, renowned in Portland as a Neighborhood Greenway, the public's advised to stay alert, follow flagger directions, and maybe plot some clever alternate routes. While the main roads might be tied up, residential and business access won't be nixed, with sidewalks staying open around the clock for foot traffic. And if you rely on public transportation, stay updated on any TriMet.org advisories.
