82nd Avenue is the spine that connects east and west Portland. The 82nd Avenue of Roses Implementation Plan, as the Mid-county Memo previously reported, is the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) rigorous series of projects designed to work out kinks in the road.

The plan means to identify four priority areas and safety projects that can be funded in the short-term (5 to 10 years) to improve this invaluable road even past the plan’s conclusion next year. It’s about to enter its third and final stage.

So far, there have been established improvements, like the repaving of roads and sidewalks, as well as the installation of sidewalk curb ramps.

“We’re not looking at big things like adding bike lanes or purchasing more land; they’re very targeted things,” explains Terra Lingley, the project manager of the 82nd Avenue of Roses Implementation Plan from ODOT. “We targeted a couple specific areas and went through scenarios.”

Scenario one revolves around mostly sidewalk updates, closing unused driveways—or driveways deemed too wide—that make pedestrians feel unsafe. Scenario two includes these updates, as well as additional crossings and getting an additional crossing at Clackamas County, where there are a couple areas without sidewalks. In executing these sidewalks’ construction, consider the sidewalks by Portland Community College on 82nd Avenue as an example.

The seventh meeting of the community advisory committee, made up of a diverse group of residents, cyclists and transit users, as well as interested businesses, was held following Labor Day on Sept. 6. There, ODOT discussed memos, analysis and ground truth on different matters and possibilities, with the committee adding input. There is to be only one more committee meeting on behalf of the 82nd Avenue of Roses Implementation Plan, likely to be held later this fall. However, there is talk of funding further small-scale projects even after the plan’s conclusion.

“We don’t have any funding to implement the plan,” says Lingley. “So we looked at three levels of funding: businesses, as usual, or investments of $1 million or less. The second scenario looks at a bigger project and going after a grant (between $1 million and $10 million), and the third is [asking the question]: What if the legislature spends money on us? This could be anything over $10 million. We are currently writing the plan and are going to go into our next phase of public involvement with an open house in mid-to-late October.”

Below are a couple additional updates on a few specific summertime projects that the Mid-county Memo had previously reported on.

Southeast 82nd Avenue: Waterline Abandonment Project
The Waterline Abandonment Project was a $600,000 Clackamas River Water maintenance procedure that removed sole older and underlined water lines and system hydraulics. Specifically, it removed some 2-, 4- and 6-inch lines and reconnected a 10-inch line. The improved hydraulics were essential considering fire flows. It finished in early July in preparation for some ODOT paving projects along 82nd Avenue.

“We were pleased to be able to finish our project on time and on budget prior to the ODOT project. We looked at it as an opportunity project to coordinate with ODOT to do some work that would help address some needs we had,” says Todd Heidgerken, general manager at Clackamas River Water.

Lindy Street to Mt. Scott Creek Bridge and Safety Project
In its second phase, this $850,000, three-phase project will ultimately see improvements along the portion of Southeast 82nd Avenue that services the Clackamas Regional Center in the form of sidewalk ramps at the intersection between Southeast King Road and the Mount Scott Creek Bridge. According to Lingley, it’s still on time.

“We’re looking to add some more money to our statewide transportation improvement program from 2019 to 2021 for Lindy to Foster. It’s an $8 million project for [Americans with Disabilities Act] ramps and railing,” Lingley added.