Priority Sewer Pipes Program - South/Southwest Portland

What's Happening Now

There are multiple sanitary sewer pipe repair projects throughout the city of Portland that are in different stages of design and construction. In some locations, project teams are surveying for underground utilities, taking soil samples, and conducting other investigation activities. In other locations, crews are designing repairs, getting ready to begin construction, or actively repairing pipes.

See below for a description of what is happening now at each location.

Project Locations

SW Cheltenham Drive north of SW Pendleton Street

• Status: Construction began on Tuesday, June 9
• Construction Method: The project team has selected the Open Cut and Cured-in-Place (CIPP) construction methods for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is schedule for Tuesday, June 9 and will take three days to complete.

SW Westwood Drive at SW Cheltenham Court

• Status: Construction begins on Tuesday, June 22
• Construction Method: The project team has selected the Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) construction method for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is schedule for Monday, June 22 and will take four days to complete.

SW Westwood Drive near SW Westwood Court

• Status: Construction began on Tuesday, June 9
• Construction Method: The project team has selected the Open Cut construction method for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is schedule for Tuesday, June 9 and will take three days to complete.

SW Westwood Drive near SW Menefee Lane

• Status: Design is complete and will be moving into construction soon.
• Construction Method: The project team has selected the Open Cut construction method for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is expected to begin in June 2026 and will take approximately one week to complete.

SW Cheltenham Street and SW Terwilliger Boulevard

• Status: Currently in the design phase. Crews are conducting site investigations and working to complete design by mid 2026.
• Construction Method: The project team has selected the Open Cut construction method for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is expected to begin in the Summer of 2026 and will take approximately two months to complete.

SW Sunset Boulevard at SW Capitol Highway

• Status: Currently in the design phase. This location is being proposed for night work.
• Construction Method: The project team has selected the Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) method for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is expected to begin in the Summer of 2026 and will take approximately two months to complete.

SW Chestnut Drive at SW Florida Street

• Status: Currently in the design phase. Crews are conducting site investigations and working to complete design by mid 2026.
• Construction Method: The project team has selected the Open Cut and Cured-in-Place (CIPP) construction methods for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is expected to begin in the Summer of 2026 and will take approximately two months to complete.

SW Bertha Boulevard at SW Barbur Boulevard

• Status: Currently in the design phase. This location is being proposed for night work.
• Construction Method: The project team has selected the Open Cut and Cured-in-Place (CIPP) construction methods for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is expected to begin in the Summer of 2026 and will take approximately two months to complete.

S Pennoyer Street at S Corbett Ave between S Curry Street and S Gaines

• Status: Design is complete and will be moving into construction soon.
• Construction Method: The project team has selected Open Cut and Cured-in-Place (CIPP) construction methods for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is expected to begin in August 2026 and will take approximately one month to complete.

S Hood Street between S Gaines Street and S Abernethy Street

• Purpose: To repair more than 550 feet of deteriorated pipe under S Hood Street.
• Status: Design is complete and will be moving into construction soon.
• Construction Method: The project team has selected the Open Cut and Cured-in-Place (CIPP) construction methods for this location.
• Night Work: The pipe segments needing repair are located beneath S Hood Street, which is in the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) right-of-way and will require night work. We received a noise variance from the Portland Noise Office to work during nights.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is expected to begin in September 2026 and will take approximately one month to complete. 

SW Westwood Drive near SW Westwood Court

• Status: The project is currently in the design phase.
• Construction Method: The project team has selected Open Cut and Cured-in-Place (CIPP) construction methods for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is expected to occur between January 2028 and October 2028.

SW Cheltenham Street between SW Cheltenham Court and SW Terwilliger Boulevard

• Status: The project is currently in the design phase.
• Construction Method: The project team has selected Open Cut and trenchless construction methods for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is expected to occur between January 2028 and October 2028.

SW Cheltenham Street just east of SW Cheltenham Court

• Status: The project is currently in the design phase.
• Construction Method: The project team has selected Cured-in-Place (CIPP) construction methods for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is expected to occur between January 2028 and October 2028.

SW Ralston Drive east of SW Terwilliger Boulevard

• Status: The project is currently in the design phase.
• Construction Method: The project team has selected Open Cut and trenchless construction methods for this location.
• Construction Timeline: Construction at this location is expected to occur between January 2028 and October 2028.

Typical Project Process

Project Design

During project design, the project team uses the information gathered during site visits and investigations to design a repair that works for the particular location and site conditions. Depending on the complexity of the repair that is needed, this design process can take 6-18 months.

Preconstruction Activities

Before sewer construction begins, you will see some activity in your neighborhood as work crews prepare for the project. These pre-construction activities typically occur over time and in phases. Some of these activities will include site visits and evaluation, survey, and utility markings, pipe cleaning and inspection, erosion control, and tree protection.  For more information on these pre-construction activities, visit the pre-construction webpage to learn more.

Construction

Once the project team has completed design, a contractor is brought on board. Construction on pipe repairs will occur as soon as possible after design is completed, but things like contractor and materials availability, permitting needs, or weather may impact start dates. Once construction begins, we expect work to last 1-6 months at each location. 

• To find out more about construction methods please visit the construction methods webpage.
• To find out more about potential construction impacts, please visit the construction impacts webpage.

Project Closeout and Restoration

Once construction is complete, crews will clean up and restore the site and close out the project. Final pavement restoration depends on contractor and materials availability as well as dry weather and temperatures in the appropriate ranges. Crews will work to complete final pavement restoration as soon as possible. Plantings or landscape restoration may also be delayed due to weather or to the need to schedule work during planting seasons. Final restoration may occur several weeks or even months after the construction work is completed.

Proposed Night Work

To reduce public impacts and complete the work as safely and quickly as possible, night work is sometimes necessary at certain locations. Portland Noise Code allows construction from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Work after 6 p.m. before 7 a.m., and all hours on Sundays requires a noise variance from the Portland Noise Office.

Submit Comments to Noise Office 

Your comments about a proposal to work nights are valuable. You can submit them by email or telephone. Please submit your comments to the Portland Noise Office at noise@portlandoregon.gov or call 503-823-7350. You may also call the message line at 503-865-4300 and leave us a voicemail stating that the SW Priority Pipe Program is your project of concern. An outreach staff member will be in touch with you within 24-48 hours.

What to Expect During Construction

You can expect the following activities and impacts during construction: 

• A Safe Work Site: We want you to be safe around the work site. Please keep children, pets, bikes, cars, and trucks away from the tools, machines, supplies, and construction workers.
• Noise, Vibration, and Dust: Construction creates noise, vibration, and dust and disrupts normal neighborhood activity.
• Traffic Delays: The work will slow down traffic in your neighborhood. Please read the traffic signs and follow directions from the workers with flags.
• Access to Your Home or Business: You will be able to go to your home or business, but you may not be able to park as close as you would like. We will try to make sure driveways and parking lot entrances stay open. Crew members can help you safely enter or exit your driveway or business parking lot.
• Parking Restrictions: We want you to be safe, so you might not be able to park your car next to workspaces, equipment, or materials. If crews are working directly in front of your home or a business, you may need to park in another place.
• Equipment Storage: Sometimes we will leave tools, machines, and supplies on your street overnight.
• Maintained Service: You can still use sewer, water, and other services while we work on your street.
• Work Hours: Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Sometimes we work on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Schedule Changes and Inactivity: Work schedules can change for many reasons like weather, traffic, and problems with tools, machines, or supplies. Sometimes we need to stop between different types of work and start again later. 

Visit the Construction Impacts webpage for more information on what to expect during construction.

Program Background

Environmental Services is prioritizing work that is critical for life safety, property protection, and economic vitality. This includes expanding the wastewater treatment plant on N Columbia Boulevard and a focusing our resources on infrastructure that serves large numbers of people, such as pump stations, force mains, and large diameter pipes.

In large parts of Portland, the sewer system is between 80 to 150-years old. Crews inspect and monitor pipe conditions throughout the city to assess the condition of the public sewer system, prioritize the repairs and upgrades needed, identify the appropriate repair methods, and construct the repairs and upgrades.

The sewer system repairs and upgrades will be designed and constructed by Environmental Services and its contractors and will be supervised by its engineers, inspectors, and safety officers. Community outreach professionals will work directly with the community throughout the course of the projects.

As priority pipes are identified, they are grouped together with other nearby pipes in need of repair for evaluation, design, and repair. Work on repairs is already underway in several locations. New locations will be added over time.

We Want to Hear from You

Environmental Services will inform residents and businesses about project activities and respond to questions and concerns in a timely manner. The following resources will help you stay informed and report concerns:

• Program Webpage: Visit this program webpage for details about the program and any current or upcoming projects in your area.
• Email Updates: To receive email or text message updates for these projects, we encourage you to sign up now. Updates provided through our free GovDelivery subscription service 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.
• Questions: Call the message line at 503-865-4300. An outreach staff member will be in touch with you within 24-48 hours.
• Sewer Emergency: In the event of a sewer backup or basement flooding, call the City Maintenance hotline immediately at 503-823-1700. It is staffed all hours and all days, 24/7.

Sign Up for Updates

Sign up for email or text message updates for the Priority Pipe Program 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.