The Friday evening commute through downtown Portland hit an unexpected snag when a sinkhole opened in the center lane of Southwest Alder Street at Southwest Second Avenue, swallowing a patch of asphalt and triggering a quick response from city crews. The void was estimated at roughly 6 feet across and about 4 feet deep, and workers blocked the lane while officials assessed the scene. Downtown commuters are being warned to expect delays in the area while the city secures the site.
According to KPTV, a city spokesperson said crews were on scene just before 5 p.m. and confirmed the opening was in the center lane at Southwest Alder and Southwest Second Avenue. The station reported the size estimate and said no further information had been released at the time of publication.
Where It Happened And Ongoing Street Work
The block sits at the eastern end of the Portland Bureau of Transportation's SW Alder Rose Lane improvements, a transit-focused project that added bus platforms and reconfigured lanes between West Burnside and SW 2nd Avenue. PBOT's advisory notes intermittent lane closures and construction activity in the corridor, which can complicate traffic and repair staging; see Portland Bureau of Transportation for details.
Part Of A Wet-Weather Pattern
Portland has seen other rain-related collapses this spring; KPTV reported in March that landslides and a sinkhole forced closures on Northwest Cornell Road after an atmospheric river. As PBOT's public information officer told KPTV then, 'Landslides don't always show their complete selves initially,' and crews continue to monitor vulnerable slopes and roadways.
What Drivers Should Watch And Who To Call
Drivers and pedestrians should avoid SW Alder at SW 2nd while the city secures the scene and evaluates repairs, and follow posted detours and traffic control. For official updates and to sign up for project alerts, visit the Portland Bureau of Transportation's site or contact PDX 311; PBOT's 24/7 maintenance dispatch for urgent road hazards is listed on the bureau's site at 503-823-1700. Portland Bureau of Transportation
