Project Area
The map below illustrates the entire project area where sewer improvements and green street planters are being constructed. It also shows the proposed methods of construction and where the new ADA ramps are being built.
Schedule
Construction is underway and is anticipated to be finished by early 2026. Work will occur in stages, and not all at once.
Environmental Services will provide regular email and webpage updates on the project so that you are informed when work will begin near your location. The contractor will also provide advance notice to adjacent properties before construction begins at each work zone.
What’s Happening Now
Construction will temporarily restrict some travel lanes and sidewalk crossings in work zones, remove on-street parking, and create traffic delays.
Please obey all traffic control signs and follow the directions of flaggers.
All work is weather-dependent and subject to change.
Remainder of this week:
The crews that work on the sewer pipes will be deploying to a more urgent job until October. There will be intermittent work in the area, but no sewer mainlines or connections until early October.
- No sewer repair work will occur during this week.
- Asphalt paving of SE 25th Ave between SE Madison St and Hawthorne Blvd.
- Water Bureau is continuing work on SE Madison St at 16th Ave and SE Yamhill St at SE 22nd Ave.
Week of September 4 [No work on Monday, September 4 due to Labor Day Holiday]:
The crews that work on the sewer pipes will be deploying to a more urgent job until October. There will be intermittent work in the area, but no sewer mainlines or connections until early October.
- No sewer repair work will occur during this week.
- Water Bureau is continuing work on SE Madison St at 16th Ave, SE Yamhill St at SE 22nd Ave, and SE Taylor St at SE 26th Ave.
Extreme Weather
When high temperatures, extreme heat, near freezing temperatures, or extreme cold are in the weather forecast, crews may adjust schedules to protect workers from the dangers of heat stress and cold stress. When working in extreme weather environments, all City workers, contractors, and subcontractors must follow Oregon’s OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) mandates and Environmental Services’ Heat Illness Safety and Health Plan and its Cold Stress Safety and Health Plan. You may see crews taking more frequent water and rest breaks, stopping work at noon, and taking other protective measures during extreme weather.
Effective May 15, 2023, construction activities may begin at 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday when the temperature predicted by the National Weather Service is expected to exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit by 3 p.m. See interim Noise Office rules here.
What to Expect During Construction
You can expect the following activities and impacts during construction:
Noise, Vibration, and Dust: Construction creates noise, vibration, and dust, and disrupts normal neighborhood activity.
Equipment Storage: Equipment and materials may be stored on streets overnight.
No Parking: Little or no on‐street parking will be allowed in and near work zones, especially during work hours. On days when crews will be working in front of your house or nearby, please plan ahead. If you park your vehicle on the street, plan to move it off the street by 7 a.m. and return it at 6 p.m.
Traffic Delays: Expect traffic delays in and near the work area. The contractor will develop detailed traffic control plans for each location.
Pedestrian Access: If temporary crosswalk and sidewalk closures are necessary, signage will indicate the alternate way for pedestrians to proceed.
Services Maintained: Sewer, water, and other utilities are expected to remain in service during construction.
Garbage Pickup: Access to garbage and recycling bins for haulers will always be maintained.
Schedule Changes and Inactivity: Construction schedules can change due to a variety of factors, including conditions underground, weather, traffic impacts, subcontractor schedules, and availability of materials. These same variables may cause periods of inactivity during construction phases.
Construction Methods
The contractor will use open trench excavation and cured-in-place-pipe lining (CIPP) to construct sewer and stormwater improvements. Most of the mainline public sewer pipes will be replaced with the open trench excavation method.
Private Improvements in the Right-of-Way
Crews may need to access and work in the right-of-way--specifically, the planting strip between the curb and the sidewalk--in order to repair, replace, or construct green street planters and sanitary and/or storm sewer pipes. The property owner is responsible for maintaining the portion of the public right-of-way between their property and the curb. This includes caring for permitted trees, mowing grass, and maintaining a safe sidewalk. However, the City retains the authority to use that area on behalf of the public.
Night Work Permit
Portland noise code allows construction from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Work after 6 p.m. and before 7 a.m. and all hours on Sundays requires a noise variance from the Portland Noise Office.
To minimize interruptions to traffic at busy intersections on East Burnside and protect public safety, Environmental Services is proposing to repair sewer lines overnight. The project has requested and have been approved for a permit from the Portland Noise Office to allow night work at four (4) locations in the Kerns Neighborhood:
Open trench excavation:
- SE 26th Ave and E Burnside St for four (4) nights
- NE 28th Ave and E Burnside St for three (3) nights
- NE 32nd Ave and E Burnside St for four (4) nights
Cured-in-place-pipe lining (CIPP):
- NE 24th Ave and E Burnside St for three (3) nights
Work hours will be 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday through Saturday, with no work on Sundays. When possible, work crews will complete louder tasks before midnight. The equipment will include various trucks (water jet, CCTV, vacuum, asphalt and dump), an air compressor, pavement saw cutters, whisper bypass pumps, generators, lights, front end loaders, track hoes, cranes, and pavement roller compactors.
Neighbors will be notified prior to any night work.
We Want to Hear from You
Please let us know if you have a concern or question about future construction near you. Be sure to include your name, property address, and project name (Buckman-Kerns) in your voicemail and email so we can provide you more details about what to expect in front of your property. Also, please write “Buckman-Kerns” in the subject line of your email.
- Sewer Emergency: In the event of a sewer backup or basement flooding, call the Maintenance hotline immediately at 503-823-1700. It is staffed all hours and all days, 24/7.
Project Background
The purpose of this project is to reduce basement sewer backup risk, reduce street flooding, and increase capacity of the large sewer trunk that serves the project area. To that end, this project will upsize or repair portions of the public sewer main line to increase its capacity to handle combined sewer and stormwater. Many of the existing combined sewer pipes are at least 100 to 120 years old and deteriorating. The project will also build green street planters that will help slow, filter, and cleanse stormwater from the streets.
The project is designed to accomplish the following sewer and stormwater improvements:
- Construct 61 green street planters for a total of 15,600 square feet of treatment area.
- Replace or repair 23,077 feet of public sewer mainline pipes, ranging in size from 6 inches to 24 inches in diameter.
- Construct or replace 480 sewer service laterals that connect private sewer lines to the public sewer in the street; this will involve 9,500 linear feet of six-inch lateral sewer pipes.
- Update 101 curb ramps to meet ADA requirements, including 75 individual ramps and 26 ramps that will be modified adjacent to new green street planters.
- Construct or replace 150 maintenance holes and 240 storm drain inlets to capture surface runoff.
Sign Up for Updates
Sign up for weekly email or text message updates for the Buckman-Kerns Green Street and Sewer Project through our free GovDelivery subscription service. These updates are the best way to stay informed about what’s happening and what to expect. You can also sign up for bulletins on other projects and topics.
Other Work in the Area
Public utility companies, private contractors, and the City's Maintenance Department may be conducting other work nearby, where they, too, need to post NO PARKING signs for their work.
In addition, other capital improvement projects are occurring around or near your neighborhood. To learn more about one of the projects and to sign up for project updates about it, click on the following link:
Sunnyside South Green Street and Sewer Project
Please Take the Business Survey
If you have a business within the project area, please complete this questionnaire so we can learn more about your business and what needs you may have during construction.