Nighttime Work on New County Courthouse Underway

Work on the new $300 million Multnomah County Central Courthouse, which is scheduled to open in 2020, is underway and that means some disruptions downtown at night.

Underground utility night work started this week for the courthouse, which is being built at the west end of the Hawthorne Bridge. Sewer lines need to be relocated before excavation can begin for the courthouse on the block bordered by SW Jefferson, SW Naito Parkway, SW First Ave., and SW Madison St. In-street construction will be performed at night to reduce impacts on commuters.

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That means:

Work will be conducted between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday through Thursday from February 13 through March, to reduce impacts on traffic;

Until about March 1, night detours and lane closures will be needed at:

• SW 1st Ave. between SW Main St. and SW Madison St.
• SW Main St. across the intersection with SW 1st Ave.

Access to the north sidewalk of the Hawthorne Bridge will be available from the Naito Parkway ramp or stairs from Waterfront Park only. The sidewalk on SW Main St. will be closed between Naito Parkway and SW First Ave. The south bridge sidewalk will be open.

From March 1 - 17 (tentative) between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. the eastbound approach to the Hawthorne Bridge from SW Madison St. will be closed to all modes of traffic between SW Naito Parkway and SW 1st Ave. Eastbound traffic can access the bridge from northbound SW Naito Parkway at night.

• Noise generating activities include saw-cutting, excavating and sound from vacuum trucks. A telephone line (503-988-8888) is set up for questions and concerns about construction noise.
• Work schedules are subject to change, due to weather and other factors.
• On February 20, a staircase from the west sidewalk of SW Naito Parkway to the south sidewalk of the Hawthorne Bridge is scheduled to be closed for demolition. A new staircase will be built as part of the project, opening in 2019. Pedestrians can still access the south bridge sidewalk from SW Madison St. and from the sidewalk on the east side of SW Naito Parkway.

Meanwhile, a construction open house is scheduled on Thursday, February 23 from 4 – 6 p.m. in the Jury Assembly Room of the County Courthouse at 1021 SW 4th Ave. For project information, visit www.multco.us/central-courthouse.

Graphic - Hoffman Construction Company via Multnomah County