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Traffic advisory
Travelers and residents are encouraged to take public transit, walk or roll, and avoid driving through the area if possible
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Updated
As part of the the 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project, a PBOT contractor replaced broken sections of asphalt on NE 82nd Avenue with new pavement near McDaniel High School last year. Paving season on NE/SE 82nd Avenue returns for a second summer, as Raimore Construction and subcontractors will conduct months of repaving work this summer, starting in SE Portland on May 18. Photo by PBOT.
(May 5, 2026) - The Portland Bureau of Transportation's (PBOT) safety and maintenance upgrade of 82nd Avenue continues, with months of work to provide new, smooth pavement and replace failing sections of roadway starting on Monday, May 18, and continuing on weekdays through the end of July.
This is the second summer of pavingsignificantstretchesof the corridor,after crews repaved and repaired roughly 1.4 centerline miles of 82nd Avenue in 2025.
The first section of paving will take place on SE 82nd Avenue between SE Clinton and Brooklyn streets. Contractors will then pave additional segments of the corridor between SE Brooklyn and Bush streets; NE Thomson to Hancock; and lastly SE Schiller Street and SE Foster Road.
The existing pavement on NE/SE 82nd Avenue is severely deteriorated in these sections, with cracking and water infiltration that extends below the surface of the roadway.
Full details, updates available from PBOT
Paving this summer will begin in SE Portland and move to different sections, roughly a month at a time. From week to week, work schedules are weather dependent, but hours are expected to generally stay between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
To learn more about the 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project, including updates on construction throughout the summer, and to sign up to receive construction updates by email, visit portland.gov/82nd-MM.
Schedule and map at a glance
A map of 82nd Avenue between NE Sandy Boulevard and SE Foster Road highlights areas of completed paving, areas of paving in 2026 and approximate start dates for each area. Map by PBOT.
The schedule for paving 82nd Avenue, from NE to SE, in 2026:
- NE Thompson to Hancock is anticipated to begin mid-June;
- SE Clinton to Brooklyn begins May 18;
- SE Brooklyn to Powell begins late May;
- SE Powell to Bush begins early June;
- SE Schiller to Raymond Court begins early July; and
- SE Raymond Court to Foster begins late July
The schedule is weather-dependent and subject to change.
Work includes excavation of outside lanes,
grind & pave inside lanes, new median islands and street trees
As 82nd Avenue transitioned from a country road to an urban thoroughfare, it was never upgraded to modern standards. Initially, the inner lanes were built to handle highway traffic, and the outside lanes were built to a lower standard, intended to accommodate on-street parking.
So, on the inside three lanes, crews need to grind off the top layer of asphalt and replace it with 3 inches of fresh blacktop.
On the outside lanes, crews with PBOT contractor Raimore Construction will dig down below the road surface and remove the damaged pavement with large excavation equipment. Once excavation and construction of the roadway base are complete, they will lay 13 inches of new asphalt pavement on top of the new road base. The combination of these layers of materials can support freight, buses and other modern traffic demands.
Travelers in the area of the work zones will observe construction on the western lanes first, then the eastern lanes – starting with the outside lanes and then the inside lanes on each side. This work will ensure a durable driving surface that will last for decades to come.
Lastly, contractors will construct concrete median islands. Trees will be planted in some of the concrete median islands later this fall, when the rainy season can help them get established for long-term health.
Step by step major maintenance upgrade of 82nd Avenue
This graphic shows a northbound view of 82nd Avenue, a five-lane street with two lanes in each direction and a center turn lane. Text explains the order of the paving process. Graphic by PBOT.
One lane in each direction on 82nd Avenue will remain open during construction. People driving, biking and taking transit on NE/SE 82nd Avenue can expect delays, especially during the morning and evening commutes.
Driveway access will be impacted temporarily during outer lane excavation and paving, and contractors will coordinate with individual businesses to limit driveway access disruptions. Pedestrian access will be maintained.
What to expect during construction
- This summer, the public can expect travel lane closures on 82nd Avenue and full closures of side streets that intersect 82nd Avenue.
- Typical work hours will be 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.
- At least one travel lane in each direction and adjacent businesses on 82nd Avenue will remain open during construction, but the traveling public is advised to expect delays. People closest to the work zone can expect dust, noise, vibrations, and heavy equipment in the area, including road sweepers cleaning the street to remove construction debris.
- PBOT will provide periodic updates throughout construction. To sign up for construction updates by email, visit the project website.
82nd Avenue Major Maintenance project improvements will:
- Replace the pavement curb-to-curb in key areas, and excavate and replace broken pavement the outer two travel lanes.
- Replace traffic signals and update intersections with modern signs and street markings.
- Provide safe and comfortable places for people to cross 82nd Avenue by installing pedestrian signals, bicycle signals (at neighborhood greenways), and median refuge islands.
- Reduce the risk of serious injuries and fatalities for all people traveling by installing median islands and traffic lane separators in areas with a high crash history.
- Improve accessibility by updating or replacing 140 ADA curb ramps for people using mobility devices, wheelchairs, and strollers.
- Build or upgrade more than 10,000 linear feet of sidewalk.
- Improve stormwater and drainage.
Thanks to the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF), as part of this project, PBOT will plant more than 175 trees along 82nd Avenue, to mitigate the impact of extreme heat events.
Stay up to date by email and website
To learn more about the 82nd Avenue Major Maintenance Project
and to sign up for construction updates, visit portland.gov/82nd-MM.
Thank you for your cooperation and patience while we Build a Better 82nd.
For project information, contact
PBOT 82nd Avenue Project team
Email: 82ndavenue@portlandoregon.gov
Phone: 503-865-8282
About Building a Better 82nd
Building a Better 82nd Avenue is a collection of safety and maintenance projects, policies, and programs to address urgent needs for 82nd Avenue. Construction of improvements will occur in different locations of the corridor from NE Lombard to SE Clatsop. In recognition of the need for critical safety improvements for 82nd Avenue, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) established the Building a Better 82nd Avenue Program in 2022, following the transfer of roadway ownership and management from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to the City of Portland.
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The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the City's transportation system, and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility.