January 6, 2026 update: NE Bryant Street has been reopened to local traffic.
Portland Water Bureau crews have closed NE Bryant Street between NE 18th and 22nd avenues to traffic after responding to a broken water main (pipe). The repair process revealed that the structural integrity of the street is undermined, and the street remains closed pending further restoration.
Crews responded to the scene quickly and worked over 10 hours without breaks to repair the water main. Work to repair the water main wrapped late Sunday night, ending flooding on the street. More work is needed to repair the resulting street damage, and the scope of work is being evaluated.
The City is advising drivers to avoid the area. Bryant Street is closed to traffic in both directions between NE 18th and NE 22nd avenues, with a flagger directing traffic.
Drivers should use caution while driving in the area. Keep your distance from crews, give flaggers plenty of space, and slow down when traveling through work zones.
Limited water service impacts
Water service is no longer impacted. Crews contacted the 30 homes affected by the initial break prior to initiating the repair. If you have yellow or brown water at your tap and are impacted by a discolored water event, the Water Bureau is here to help. Report discolored water to the Water Quality Line.
About the break
Crews responded to a vertical break in an 8-inch water main that was originally installed in 1951. Work to fix the break proceeded quickly, but when crews began to refill earth excavated to access the main, they detected significant undermining of the street. There are currently several sinkholes along that section of Bryant Street. We are still investigating the cause of the compromised street integrity.
We are working to assess next steps to fully repair the street. The soil condition in the area could complicate the repair.