Current Status
The City of Portland is building a filtration facility and pipelines to comply with federal Safe Drinking Water Act regulations. The Bull Run Filtration Projects must be complete by September 30, 2027, and will further protect our health, support our economy, and prepare us for the future.
In November 2023, both Multnomah County and Clackamas County approved the Portland Water Bureau’s land use applications for the Bull Run Filtration Projects. In both counties, the approvals followed an extensive public process with the involvement of a hearings officer.
In December 2023, Multnomah County’s decision was appealed to the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). In January 2025, LUBA issued a decision that would send the County’s decision back to the County for further “remand” proceedings.
On February 14, 2025, construction of the Bull Run Filtration project was temporarily halted until the remand process is complete and the Water Bureau has begun a wind-down and pause of construction for the remand period.
The Water Bureau will continue to maintain erosion control and applicable permit conditions as well as coordinate with the County to ensure project improvements are paused in a manner that protects public safety.
Planned monthly neighbor meetings during the remand period have been postponed. We will continue to share information through our project e-news and website updates.
Work happening now
Throughout the remand period, the Water Bureau will continue activities necessary to protect public health and safety, secure construction sites, and comply with permits, including erosion, sediment, and dust control. Work hours are between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Traffic impacts
Temporary traffic impacts include:
- Cottrell Road (between Dodge Park Boulevard and Lusted Road): Flagged two-way traffic around work area while crews complete road surface repairs.
What to expect:
- Flaggers and temporary traffic controls to direct traffic
- Local and emergency access will be maintained
- Normal traffic flow outside shift hours
Work schedules are subject to change depending on weather and other field conditions.
Other wind-down activities happening now
This webpage is updated regularly to reflect new information about project activities at the construction sites.
Filtration facility site activities include:
- Concrete placement to help stabilize shoring and protect work in place for site safety (3+ trucks over 1-2 day duration)
- Ongoing site stormwater management, including inspections, maintenance, and periodic material deliveries
- Ongoing erosion control management, including hydroseeding and equipment activity for grading and site stabilization
- Completing earthwork activities to shape, slope, and stabilize stockpiles and excavations
- Ongoing site dewatering to protect excavations
- Ongoing equipment maintenance
- Demobilizing some construction equipment
- Accessing construction trailers to perform administrative work and site safety/security activities
- As needed street sweeping
- Ongoing 24/7 site security
Finished water pipeline site activities include:
- Ongoing stormwater management and erosion control
Finished water intertie site activities include:
- Ongoing stormwater management and erosion control
Raw water tunnel/pipeline site activities include:
- Additional bracing of the tunnel portal excavation for safety, including some excavation, a crane to place the braces, and welding to install the bracing
- Demobilizing some construction equipment
- Ongoing stormwater management and erosion control
- Accessing construction trailers to perform administrative work and site safety/security activities
Ongoing site safety and 24/7 security activities
- Maintaining work site security
- Monitoring existing work protections
- Continuing dewatering activities to protect excavated areas
- Ongoing stormwater management
- Ongoing erosion control inspection and maintenance
Prioritizing Safety
We're taking care to prioritize safety for both the community and workers. This includes a safety first philosophy in construction work zones, using appropriate traffic controls when work is occurring in the right-of-way, and ongoing communication to provide notice of construction activities to neighbors and commuters.
Stay safe near work zones
Work zones play a crucial role by providing a safe area for workers and a safe route for all road users. We ask the community to be aware and play an active role in keeping work zones safe.
- Slow down and stay alert: Slow down and avoid tailgating. Speed is a major factor in crashes. Be alert to changing traffic patterns and congestion.
- Obey warning signs and traffic controls: Follow work zone warnings, traffic control signs, and flaggers. They are there for your safety and signs apply to everyone traveling through – whether the person is walking, biking, rolling or driving.
- Keep a safe distance: Stay clear of equipment and crews at work. When possible carefully move over to give workers more room between them and your vehicle.
- Use an alternate route when possible: When you can, avoid roads with posted work zones.
- Expect delays and be kind: Our goal is to move people through our work zone safely, while also completing our construction work efficiently. We appreciate your understanding.
Frequently Asked Construction Questions
How long will construction take?
Substantial completion is planned by September 30, 2027, when we need to begin serving filtered Bull Run drinking water to our customers to meet our compliance deadline with the Oregon Health Authority.
What are the typical hours for construction?
Construction work hours are typically between 7am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday. Deliveries and work to prepare or secure the facility site for the day may occur outside of these hours.
How can I stay up to date?
Visit our construction webpage (portland.gov/FiltrationConstruction) or sign up to get project e-news updates or construction traffic text notices (portland.gov/BRTPnews). We also publish traffic information on Oregon Department of Transportation’s "TripCheck" site (tripcheck.com).
What types of traffic controls are being used during construction?
Our construction traffic control plans focus on traffic safety and minimizing disruption for the local community. Typical traffic control measures include identifying flagging needs, detour routes, and provision for local and emergency access. We ask the community to help keep work zones safe by slowing down and staying alert, obeying warning signs and traffic controls, and using an alternate route when possible.
Are there safety measures in place for pedestrians and cyclists?
We're committed to the safety of the community. Typical traffic safety steps include using signage, flagging, and other traffic controls to move people (whether walking, biking, rolling, or driving) through our work zones safely while also completing construction efficiently.
Will there be traffic closures? How will they be noticed?
Single-lane and full road closures will be needed at times to allow for pipeline installation and other work to occur in or near the public right-of-way. We notice planned closures using our project webpage,e-news and text updates, as well as doorhangers, mailings, and other outreach where appropriate. We will also have work zone signage and traffic controls where work is occurring.
Will there be detours? How will they be marked?
When closures are needed, we will coordinate with County transportation to identify the appropriate detour routes for through traffic. The detour routes will be identified with signage and noticed using the project construction webpage,e-news updates, and ODOT TripCheck.
Will construction affect access to area homes and businesses?
Our contractors will maintain property access for local residents and business owners. Where work is occurring near area businesses, our contractors will also post “open for business” signs. We will continue reaching out directly to affected property owners and businesses to coordinate as needed throughout construction.
Can emergency vehicles access the area during construction?
We will maintain access for emergency vehicles throughout construction. We are coordinating regularly with emergency response services to make sure they have emergency contacts and current information about planned closures and other traffic impacts in the project area.
Will construction affect school bus routes or stops?
We are coordinating regularly with area schools and bus providers to share information about planned construction activities, provide notice of scheduled traffic impacts, and make accommodation where possible to limit disruption for student bus riders living in the project area. We're also instructing contractors to avoid school zones prior to and just after start and end times of schools when in session.
Specific schools and times that will be avoided include:
| School | Street | Extent | Construction Traffic Type | Avoidance Hours1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Trail Academy | Proctor Rd | Bluff Rd to Dodge Park Blvd | All | All |
| Oregon Trail Academy | Bluff Rd | Just east of 352nd Ave to Bear Creek Ln | Trucks and craft labor commuters | 7:15-8:15 am 2:15-3:15 pm |
| Kelso Elementary | Kelso Rd | Orient Dr to Eklund Ave | All | All |
| Sam Barlow High | Lusted Rd | 282nd Ave to 302nd Ave | Trucks | All |
| Sam Barlow High | Lusted Rd | 282nd Ave to 302nd Ave | Craft labor commuters | 7:05-9:05 am 2:00-3:00 pm |
| Sam Barlow High | 302nd Ave | Lusted Rd to Chase Rd | Trucks | All |
| Sam Barlow High | 302nd Ave | Lusted Rd to Chase Rd | Craft labor commuters | 7:05-9:05 am 2:00-3:00 pm |
| Sam Barlow High | 302nd Ave | Lusted Rd to Chase Rd | Trucks | All |
| Sam Barlow High | 302nd Ave | Lusted Rd to Chase Rd | Craft labor commuters | 7:05-9:05 am 2:00-3:00 pm |
| East Orient Elementary | 302nd Ave | Dodge Park Blvd to Bluff Rd | All | All |
| West Orient Middle | Short Rd | Dodge Park Blvd to Orient Dr | All | All |
| West Orient Middle | Orient Dr/ Bluff Rd | SE Short Rd to SE 302nd Ave | Trucks | All |
| West Orient Middle | Orient Dr/ Bluff Rd | SE Short Rd to SE 302nd Ave | Craft labor commuters | 8:35-10:35 am 3:05-4:05 pm |
| Kelly Creek Elementary | Baker Way/ 24th St | SE Williams Dr to SE Chase Rd | All | All |
1Avoidance hours are based on 30 minutes before and after school start and end times shown on district websites at the time of this decision. Applicant will update avoidance hours annually prior to the start of each school year, or more frequently if notified by the districts, to reflect any changes made by the district to start and/or end times. Any resulting updates will be consistent with the 30-minute periods described above.
Will the roads be improved before, during, or after construction?
We're making improvements to designated local roads to provide safe access for construction traffic and other road users. This includes improvements to the facility site access from the Dodge Park Boulevard and Cottrell Road intersection to the eastern end of Carpenter Lane. We also resurfaced sections of Altman, Lusted, and Hosner roads, which are planned for use as construction haul or detour routes.
Some of the new pipelines will be installed in the public right-of-way, including along Dodge Park Boulevard, Lusted Road, Altman Road, and Cottrell Road. These segments of roadway will be restored after the pipeline installation is complete.
We will maintain truck haul routes within the Multnomah County project area as defined through the land use process (see map). During construction, we will be monitoring the condition of these roads and will take corrective action as needed in coordination with the County. If sediment is inadvertently tracked off-site, we will continue to use a street sweeper as necessary to clean the haul routes within the project study area. Maintenance of other roads will continue to be the responsibility of the local jurisdiction.
In addition to paving improvements, we will also clear vegetation as necessary at intersections in the project area to maintain site distance.
What haul roads will construction trucks use? How are those identified?
Project construction trucks are using a variety of haul routes to travel to and from the facility and pipeline sites as identified in the map (below). These routes are signed in the field and provided to construction truck drivers as part of our project training.
Where will the project be importing fill from?
We will be using a number of aggregate sources to supply the projects. Currently, we have materials coming from sources in Gresham, Sherwood, Canby, Brightwood, and Wauna, Oregon.Different subcontractors have different preferred sources and negotiated rates, and different project elements have different requirements, so sources will vary throughout the project.
Where is excavated soil from the facility site going?
Contractors are planning to take clean soils excavated from the facility site to a permitted fill site near Vancouver, Washington. Additional locations for excavated soil disposal will be added in the future.
How are traffic speeds being enforced?
All drivers are required to follow posted speed limits and other rules of the road. The posted speed limit is reinforced near the filtration site access at Carpenter Lane with a radar speed feedback sign and “spot checks” to confirm compliance. Safety is our top priority, and our contractors reinforce safety protocols and expectations as part of mandatory training for all crew members and through regular construction meetings. Based on severity and/or number of the violations, violators may be removed from the project.
What are you doing to minimize traffic delays?
We’ve instructed our contractors to prioritize getting emergency vehicles, farm traffic, and school buses through work zones as quickly as feasible. During construction, we will also be following our County-approved Transportation Demand Management Plan that provides specific methods the contractor must follow to make sure roads in the project area continue to meet the County’s level of service standards.
We ask community members to help us minimize potential delays from work zone closures by using alternate routes when possible. If you need to travel through a work zone with traffic controls, please follow the traffic signs and directions from flaggers to help keep the flow of traffic moving safely. To stay up to date on traffic closures, please subscribe to our e-news and text updates or visit ourproject webpage.
Who do I contact if there is an issue with construction traffic?
If you have a question or concern about project construction, please let us know by emailing bullrunprojects@portlandoregon.gov or calling 503-823-1505. Our communication team will respond as soon as possible, typically within two business days.
How is dust during facility construction being addressed?
Our construction dust management at the facility site includes practices such as establishing temporary gravel roads, using water trucks during the dry season and as needed, covering or watering stockpile areas as needed, and using wheel washes for construction trucks exiting the project site.
What will typical pipeline construction look like?
The pipeline construction will be completed in segments. We're planning to install most of the new pipeline using open cut trenching. We'll use trenchless methods (tunneling) for some pipe segments where creeks or other features are nearby. Road surfaces and property along the routes will be restored following construction completion.
Good Neighbor Commitment
We're committed to being a good neighbor throughout the life of the Bull Run Filtration Project. This includes ongoing outreach to share information about project progress and invite feedback. We also used input from the community to develop a Good Neighbor Agreement that will help make sure neighbors’ concerns are considered through design and construction and into ongoing operations.
Stay up to date:
- Sign up to receive Bull Run Filtration Project:
- Find upcoming events (including monthly neighbor meetings)
- Learn about the Good Neighbor Agreement
- Contact us:
Construction Contracting
MWH-Kiewit (a joint venture with MWH Constructors and Kiewit) is the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) for the filtration facility.
Bull Run Conveyance Partners (a joint venture with James W. Fowler Co. and MWH Constructors) is the CM/GC for the pipelines.
Visit the construction workforce webpage to learn more about sub-contracting opportunities.