Sewer Repairs, Light Rail Improvements to Close Several Downtown Streets, Officials say

PORTLAND, OR – Several downtown streets along the Yamhill-Morrison light rail corridor will be temporarily closed between April 30 and May 20, Portland Environmental Services officials announced Wednesday.

The two-block rolling street closures along Southwest Morrison and Southwest Yamhill streets, between Southwest 13th Avenue and Naito Parkway, will each last about three days, officials said, allowing Environmental Services crews to make repairs on the city's century-old sewer pipes. A bulk of the work is scheduled to piggyback on TriMet’s MAX improvement project, officials said.

Sidewalk access along Southwest Morrison and Southwest Yamhill streets (which run parallel to each other east to west) will remain open during the project, officials said, and local access to properties along the route, including parking garages, will be maintained.

For safety, on-street parking in and near the project area will be restricted, officials said.

The closures will give crews the opportunity to safely repair cracks, holes, and offset pipe connections along 6,500 feet of 100-year-old sewer pipes, which have also shown evidence of root and grease obstructions, officials said.

The Bureau of Environmental Services released videos on YouTube that give an example of what crews are dealing with:

Click here for more information on the city’s sewer project, or here for more on TriMet’s light rail project.

Photo Courtesy: Portland Bureau of Environmental Services