PBOT Plans Major Redesign of 82nd Avenue

The Portland Bureau of Transportation released preliminary plans for a major redesign of large sections of 82nd Avenue. The improvements will be dramatic, making the major road more attractive and much safer.

The street has been one of the most dangerous roads in the city for many years. Advocates have pushed for safety improvements for a long time, as the road sees a high amount of injuries and deaths to pedestrians and cyclists. The city has not been able to do much since the road was classified a state highway and was controlled by the Oregon Department of Transportation. That changed in 2022, when the city was successful in taking back control of the road.

Now that PBOT is in charge, they plan to spend $55 million in federal dollars from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act on safety improvements on two stretches of the road that total 2.5 miles. There will be a median with 250 trees, which will divide the road and provide space for pedestrians to wait at the halfway point when trying to cross. They will add marked crosswalks, marked and protected bike crossings, better traffic signals, and more.

This is the beginning of a larger project to transform 82nd into a Civic Corridor, the city's designation for a street that accommodates many modes of transit but is pleasant to live along.

Read more about this exciting project in the Portland Mercury.