Drivers and commuters in Portland should brace for a weekend of detours and potential delays as the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) presses forward with paving on SW Fourth Avenue, initiating a closure that will disrupt the normal flow of traffic starting yesterday. In a move to improve the road's surface, crews are set to close SW Fourth Avenue northbound from SW Morrison to Oak streets, and the intersections of SW Alder, Washington, and Harvey Milk streets with Fourth Avenue will also be out of commission during the construction period.
This significant closure is part of the SW Fourth Avenue Improvement Project, with the northbound lanes shuttered to allow contractors to grind off the outdated pavement and lay down fresh asphalt, which is aimed at enhancing the commute for Portland's drivers; meanwhile, the inevitable closure is scheduled to be lifted by the early hours of Monday, September 29. According to an announcement on Portland's official city website, the operative crews are determined to conduct their work overnight from Friday through Sunday in an effort to keep daytime disruptions to the bare minimum for the public.
The construction will also prompt the installment of concrete traffic separators post-paving, and adjustments of maintenance hole lids to be in line with the new road surface – local residents and businesses dotting the area are advised to anticipate construction noise during yesterday and this evening. Those driving north on SW Fourth Avenue will be redirected at SW Salmon Street to SW Second Avenue, and a detour is in place for westbound Morrison Bridge traffic at SW Second Avenue leading to SW Oak Street; eastbound travel on SW Harvey Milk or SW Alder streets will find a detour at SW Fifth Avenue that channels traffic to SW Salmon Street. Clear detour signage will be present to guide drivers through the affected areas, and sidewalks will remain open for pedestrian use, while TriMet's public transit riders should check TriMet.org for any service adjustments.
Separately, in the southern part of the construction corridor, crews will be engaged in laying down permanent striping on the SW Fourth Avenue exit ramp (Exit 1B) from I-405 northbound, which will necessitate another closure at the same 8 p.m. started yesterday, but the exit ramp will see a shorter shutdown, with it reopening at 5 a.m. today, drivers planning to use this ramp during the closure hours will instead need to veer off at the SW Sixth Avenue exit (Exit 1C).
