Southeast 82nd is a road with many seasons. Seemingly every few months, it reveals new colors, resources—and complications.
As the weather gets warmer, roadwork possesses fewer liabilities. This is good news for the 82nd Avenue of Roses Implementation Plan, a high-profile series of nonstop developments (and necessary evils) destined to improve the overall condition of the street. Changes are expected to continue over the course of the next decade, suggesting baby steps in the interim.
Below, we cover some of the more recent stages of the road’s evolution—namely, what’s been going on in the past month.
Lindy Street to Mt. Scott Creek Bridge and Safety Project
This three-year, three-phase project benefits traffic near the Clackamas Regional Center, a booming shopping area. Phase Two took flight this April with new sidewalk curb ramps being installed at the corner of major intersections between Southeast King Road and the Mt. Scott King Bridge.
Now that Phase Two is in full swing, further delays have been apparent since May 30. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), there will be intermittent single-lane closures in both directions of Southeast 82nd Avenue between Southeast Southgate Street and Southeast King Road. Expect specific lane closures on weekdays between 9 am and 3 pm.
Remember: Phase One began back in 2015, so the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight for this project. Phase Three, the final phase, begins in fall 2017. Phase Three involves road paving, as well as adding new sidewalk curb ramps between Southeast Lindy Street and Southeast King Road.
82nd Avenue: Burnside to Division Intersection Safety Improvement Project
After an ODOT contractor caused a gas leak that dealt the Intersection Safety Improvement Project is a blow back in March, roadwork appears to be finally nearing an end.
The project will see six busy 82nd Avenue intersections—East Burnside, Southeast Stark, Southeast Washington, Southeast Yamhill, Southeast Mill and Southeast Division streets—claim upgraded sidewalk ramps, traffic signals and additional lighting.
According to the ODOT, there will also be three enhanced crossings at Southeast Ash, Southeast Salmon and north of Southeast Division by Portland Community College. Currently, law enforcement is also on the scene, overseeing construction.
Southeast 82nd Avenue: Waterline Abandonment Project
In case you’re unfamiliar with the Waterline Abandonment Project, it’s a $600,000 Clackamas River Water maintenance venture that will attempt to remove aging, undersized waterlines as well as improve hydraulics underneath 82nd Avenue. And it’s a bit of a mouthful.
Pre-existing 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-inch waterlines will be replaced, though a currently stationed 10-inch cast iron pipe beneath the street will remain intact. The Waterline Abandonment Project the appetizer for a future ODOT repaving project along Southeast 82nd Avenue.
Locations strung along Southeast 82nd Avenue between the Clackamas River Water northern boundary at Southeast Clatsop Street and south to Southeast Glencoe Road will be among those affected during the maintenance process. Denizens within these parameters can expect lane closures—coming from both directions—weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. between Southeast Glencoe Road and Southeast Clatsop Street.
Making things slightly more complicated, there will also be periodic side street closures with detours.