N Mississippi Sewer Project In Portland Delayed Until Fall In Response To Community Requests

Press release from the City of Portland:

June 24, 2020

June 24, 2020 - In response to Phase I reopening and community input, Environmental Services is postponing a sewer repair project on N Mississippi Avenue until fall 2020.

Environmental Services earlier had scheduled the work to begin this month considering the light traffic and reduced business activity during the Governor’s COVID-19 Stay at Home order. A similar project on Hawthorne Boulevard that is nearing completion was shortened from four months to two months as crews worked extended hours during the COVID-19 slowdown.

However, with Multnomah County now in Phase I reopening, Environmental Services has heard and is responding to requests from the Mississippi Avenue community to wait until after the summer to complete this work.

The stretch of Mississippi Avenue between Shaver and Fremont streets where sewer repairs are needed is a popular restaurant destination. Rescheduling the project will allow the street to remain open to all users, and allow restaurants to work with PBOT in arranging expanded street seating through its Safe Streets/Healthy Business initiative.

A specific start date for fall construction has not yet been determined. Construction hours and duration of construction will also be determined later and will be subject to any COVID-19 restrictions from the county or the state.

The N Mississippi Avenue sewer repair project will replace and upsize over 1,000 linear feet of sewer pipe. The sewer main is over 100 years old and deteriorating due to age and is also too small for the area. The replacement and addition of new larger pipe will increase sewer capacity, reduce basement sewer backups and street flooding during heavy rainstorms, and help protect public health and the environment.

Project updates can be found at www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/nmississippi.

The City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services - your sewer and stormwater utility - provides Portland residents with programs to protect water quality and public health, including wastewater collection and treatment, sewer construction and maintenance, stormwater management, and stream and watershed restoration. Follow on Twitter - @BESPortland. On the web: portland.gov/bes/news

This press release was produced by the City of Portland. The views expressed here are the author’s own.