City street repair program touted in East Portland

As his last official act in office, see where Commissioner Steve Novick announced that improvements will be coming to outer East Portland streets and sidewalks this year …

At this street “base repair” project in Westmoreland, contractors tore out rutted asphalt, and replaced it with concrete – a preview of Portland’s new “Fixing our Streets” program.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Outgoing Portland City Commissioner Steve Novick took a few minutes from packing up his office to “celebrate the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) ‘Fixing our Streets’ milestone,” as he said on January 29.

Media was out in force as Novick and PBOT Director Leah Treat were on hand to display a completed “base repair” project near the intersection of SE Milwaukie Avenue and Ramona Street.

Portland City Commissioner Steve Novick tells about the road improvements yet to come under the “Fixing our Streets” program.

“A ‘base repair’ fixes failing streets that in areas such as this, a TriMet bus stop, where a new concrete pad was installed here along TriMet bus route 19,” Novick told East Portland News.

“And, we’re also here to officially release the list of ‘Fixing our Streets’ street repair and safety projects that are slated to begin in 2017, funded by the passage of Measure 26-173, a ten-cent-per-gallon tax on motor vehicle fuels, and Portland’s first local funding source dedicated to street repair and traffic safety projects,” Novick said.

East Portland News learned that the other completed base repairs were also made late in 2016 at SE Stark Street & SE 122nd Avenue, and SE 104th Avenue & SE Bush Street, but no other base repairs were scheduled for 2017.

PBOT Director Leah Treat thanks voters, Commissioner Novick, and the Portland City Council, for backing the fuel tax – and for passing a Heavy Vehicle Use Tax that will together fund the “Fixing our Streets” projects.

Numerous projects are slated throughout the city, and many of them are scheduled for outer East Portland, including:

SE Foster (82nd to 90th) – Paving Foster Road from 82nd Avenue to 92nd Avenue and ADA curb updates.
NE Halsey (102nd to Weidler) – Paving project on NE Halsey from 102nd to Weidler, combined with the Halsey-Weidler Streetscape project, which is being funded with Portland Development Commission, and system development charge funds.
Infill sidewalk SE 112th Ave: Market to Powell – Construct 7′ curb-tight sidewalks using existing curbs on SE 112th between Market and Powell, and upgrade ADA ramps.
Infill sidewalk NE 102nd Ave: Sandy to I-84 – Construct 7′ curb-tight sidewalks using existing curbs on NE 102nd Ave between Sandy and I-84, and upgrade ADA ramps.
Infill sidewalk SE Flavel St: 84th to 92nd – Construct 7′ curb-tight sidewalks using existing curbs on SE Flavel between 84th and 92nd, and upgrade ADA ramps.
Pedestrian crossing – SE 122nd & Main: replace span wire mounted blinkers with rapid flashing beacons, and install a pedestrian refuge island.

Commissioner Steve Novick says he’s proud of working to pass the Portland fuel tax.

Asked if focusing on passing the gas tax was more important to him than winning reelection, Novick said, “It was definitely worth it. I’m the first City Commissioner 24 years to lose an election. But I’m also the first Transportation Commissioner 30 years to get a local dedicated source of funding for street repair and traffic safety!”

An interactive map featuring all of the “Fixing Our Streets” projects can be viewed at the official PDOT website: CLICK HERE.

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