Road Closure
NE 6th Drive and Walker Street will be closed to through traffic (local access only) between NE Vancouver Way and Middlefield Road for the duration of the project. This is to allow large equipment access and for the safety of crew members and the public. All properties within that closure will still have access as well as any emergency vehicles.
What to Expect
NE Walker Street and NE 6th Drive will be hard closed from Winter 2024 through the Fall of 2025. Actual construction hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and Saturdays if needed. A detour is directed to NE Middlefield Road, including Tri-Met bus 11.
Project Area
The pump station is located on NE 6th Drive between N Vancouver Way and NE Middlefield Road, near the Columbia Children’s Arboretum.
What’s Happening Now?
The City has issued an interim noise control rule allowing contractors to begin work at 6:00 a.m. on days when temperatures are predicted to exceed 85 degrees by 3:00 p.m.
All work is weather-dependent and subject to change due to contractor availability.
Remainder of the Week:
Construction will resume during work hours between 6:00 am and 2:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Work may be done on some Saturdays, as well at the following location:
- NE 6th Dr (between N Vancouver Wy and NE Middlefield Rd) -Crews continue to mobilize drill rig, prepare for additional surveys, and finish deep shore excavation to prevent soil from collapsing onsite.
Weeks of September 16 & 23:
Construction will resume during work hours between 6:00 am and 2:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Work may be done on some Saturdays, as well at the following location:
- NE 6th Dr (between N Vancouver Wy and NE Middlefield Rd) - Crews to set-up temporary traffic control signs and on-street parking removal areas. Upon completion, crews will move to the installation of secant pile shoring and dewatering system.
Secant pile shoring: The process of temporarily supporting a building, structure, or trench with shores during construction repairs. These continuous walls (piles) interlock and when reinforced, protect against soil erosion and water intrusion on marine 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.
Different Method to be Proposed
Engineers are working with the construction contractor to propose and evaluate the best method to install the deep piles. A key goal of this project is to improve the pump station’s resiliency to earthquake damage. Deep supports or “piles” driven into the deep gravels are the most effective way to provide this earthquake resiliency. This is the method that the City of Portland has proposed, but the contractor will be proposing a less invasive method of installing the piles.
Project Background
The NE 6th Drive Pump Station has not had mechanical, electrical, or control system upgrades since its original construction in 1977. The upgrade will include designing and constructing modern equipment and controls that meet current and future demand on the public sewer system.
Key upgrades at the pump station location include:
- Expansion of the current pump station footprint
- Improve the earthquake resiliency
- Upgrade of the sewage pumps to support higher sewage and stormwater input
- Upgrade of the wet well, which receives sewage from the neighborhood
- Upgrade of the odor control system
- Addition of a concrete enclosure for the electrical equipment and an ADA-compliant restroom
We Want to Hear from You
Environmental Services will inform businesses and residents about project activities and respond to questions and concerns in a timely manner. Please let us know if you have concerns such as business operations, local access, delivery routes and schedules, or other concerns.
The latest project information is available through:
- Webpage: For more information, visit portland.gov/bes/NE6thpumpstation.
- Questions? Contact city staff at Debbie.Caselton@portlandoregon… or 503-823-2831.
- 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.
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This project will help protect the health of the Columbia Slough Watershed.