Project Area
The study area for this project is illustrated on the map below.
What's Happening Now
Over the next few months, Survey and Site Analysis crews will be in the project area gathering information to help them design the public sewer and stormwater improvements. Activities may include inspecting sewer pipes and maintenance access holes, locating underground utilities and marking them with paint or small flags, surveying the land and taking various measurements, and drilling holes in the street to collect soil and pavement samples.
You may also see survey crews standing on the sidewalk and street in front of properties between NE Laddington Court and NE 44th Avenue and between NE Royal Court and NE Hoyt Street to measure the elevations of the first floors of houses and see if they have basements. They may need to step onto your property briefly. This is necessary to obtain measurements of private sewer depths and will help engineers design the sewer and stormwater improvements.
These design investigations will occur over time, not all at once. They may require traffic controls that restrict on-street parking and create temporary, short-term delays. Learn more about these pre-construction activities.
Soil Sampling on March 22
Crews will be in the project area in March to conduct soil sampling. This work is scheduled to occur between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22. The dots on the map above show where crews will be drilling in the street to obtain soil, rock, water, and pavement samples.
To plan for sewer and stormwater improvements, it is important to know the conditions that engineers and construction crews will encounter underground—the soil types, soil conditions, water levels, water infiltration rates, rocks, pavement layers, and whether any contaminated soils are present. This information will help engineers determine the appropriate locations for sewer and stormwater improvements and the appropriate methods to use in constructing them.
Before crews can obtain the samples, they must first locate and mark underground utilities to identify safe drilling locations. To obtain the soil, rock, water, and pavement samples, crews dig small holes in street pavement and collect the samples.
Crews will dig two holes at each location illustrated on the map. One hole—for soil, rock, and pavement sampling—will be eight inches in diameter and two to three feet deep. The other hole—for water and infiltration sampling—will be two inches in diameter and ten feet deep. The infiltration rate refers to the speed at which water enters into the soil.
Crews will be working at multiple locations at the same time, with the work lasting between four to six hours. When soil sampling is complete, crews will fill the holes.
Proposed Green Street Planter Locations
The soil sampling locations also illustrate where Environmental Services is considering constructing green street planters. Green street planters reduce sewer overflows and backups by slowing and absorbing stormwater runoff from sidewalks and streets. Also known as rain gardens or bioswales, green streets are important to the sewer and stormwater systems. They also help prevent pollution from washing into rivers.
The specific locations, design, size, and details of the green street planters have not yet been determined. Environmental Services will notify the neighborhood when those details are ready for public review and input. Adjacent property owners will be mailed a detailed drawing to review and comment on.
We Want to Hear from You
Please let us know if you have a concern or question about this project. Be sure to include your name, property address, and project name (NE 43rd and Irving) in your voicemail and email so we can provide you more details about what to expect in front of your property. Also, please write “NE 43rd and Irving” in the subject line of your email.
What to Expect
Learn more about what to expect during sewer and stormwater construction projects.
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.
Project Background
This project may upsize portions of the public sewer main line to increase its capacity to handle combined sewer and stormwater, or repair portions of the main line to extend the service life of public sewer pipes. It will also construct green street planters to reduce the flow of stormwater into the piped sewer system. These improvements will relieve basement sewer backup risks at 22 private properties and reduce the risk of street flooding at four maintenance access hole locations.
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Sign up for periodic email or text message updates for the NE 43drd and NE Irving 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.
This project will help protect the health of the Willamette River Watershed.