Traffic Advisory: SW Fourth Avenue closed between SW Jefferson Street and SW Taylor Street for paving, starting at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15

View full size image of SW 4th Avenue at Jefferson Street looking north. This is the next segment of the roadway to be paved. Photo by PBOT

(August 14, 2025) The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will begin the next phase of paving on the SW Fourth Avenue Improvement project at 8 p.m. this Friday, Aug. 15. This phase covers SW Fourth Avenue between SW Jefferson Street and SW Taylor Streets. The street is scheduled to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 18. 

This work requires a full closure of SW Fourth Avenue between SW Jefferson Street and SW Taylor Street – including closures of the intersections at SW Madison and SW Main at SW Fourth Avenue.

Contractors working on behalf of PBOT will grind off the top layer of existing pavement and repave with new asphalt. Crews will work overnight Friday through Sunday to minimize impacts to the traveling public. Local residents and businesses can anticipate some nighttime construction noise on the evenings of August 15 and August 16. Crews will return after the paving is complete to adjust maintenance hole lids to match with the new pavement surface and to install concrete traffic separators.

During the closure the following detour routes will be in place:

• People driving north on SW Fourth Avenue will be detoured at SW Columbia Street to SW Second Avenue.
• People driving east on SW Madison Street will be detoured at SW Fifth Avenue onto SW Columbia Street.

View full size image of Map showing detour for paving work on SW 4th Avenue starting on 8-15-25

Detour signs will guide traffic through the area. Sidewalks will remain open for pedestrians. Public transit riders should check TriMet.org for service impacts. This schedule is weather-dependent, and the schedule may change.

Work on SW Fourth Avenue continues to progress northward to West Burnside Street, with a focus on replacing outdated corner ramps with new ADA-compliant ones. PBOT expects the full paving project to be completed this winter.

In addition to the weekend paving work, active construction will also be underway at other locations along SW Fourth Avenue in the coming weeks, including stormwater facility repairs at SW College Street, bollard installation to protect the new transit platform at SW Hall Street, curb ramp upgrades at SW Ankeny Street, and additional concrete traffic separators up and down the corridor. Required sawcutting and demolition will be noisy at times.

Looking ahead, PBOT anticipates another round of paving and related road closures on the weekend of August 22, paving between SW Taylor and SW Alder streets.

View full size image of Photo shows stormwater planter at the intersection of SW Fourth Avenue and SW College Street that is currently under repair. Photo by PBOT

The traveling public is advised to expect delays, travel cautiously, observe all closures and directions by flaggers, and use alternate routes if possible. Local access to residences and businesses will remain available. Parking near the work zone will be restricted during construction.

PBOT will provide periodic updates throughout construction on the project website. Sign up here to receive construction updates by email.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience while we complete this work.