(Sept. 19, 2025) The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will close NW Cornell Road from NW Westover Road to NW 53rd Avenue to all travelers to make emergency repairs on a compromised retaining wall and sunken roadway. Work is scheduled to begin on Oct. 4th and will last approximately two weeks.
The work comes after city staff observed significant sinking of the roadway and discovered that an underground pipe was broken in at least two locations, causing surface instability and pushing out the at least 80-year-old basalt rock retaining wall. The scope of the project includes wall stabilization and the removal and replacement of the damaged pipe with a new stormwater pipe. After the pipe replacement and wall stabilization, the sunken area will be repaved.
During construction, NW Cornell Road will be closed to all travelers – pedestrians, people biking, and people driving. Travelers are advised to use alternate routes, including NW Skyline Boulevard, NW Thompson Road, and West Burnside St. Local access will be maintained where possible, but delays should be expected, so please plan accordingly.
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.
As always, please keep our crews safe by following all traffic control signs and flaggers while travelling through or near work zones. Go slow when traveling on alternate routes.
Public transit riders should check TriMet.org for service impacts.
This work is weather-dependent, and the schedule may change.
Learn more about the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s road maintenance work and see the schedule of planned projects at www.portland.gov/transportation/maintenance/schedule.