The Brooklyn Neighborhood was once home to a major creek that flowed freely from Mt. Tabor to the Willamette River. Long ago the city diverted this creek, and many other free-flowing streams, into underground sewer pipes to make way for development. Tabor to the River combines innovative stormwater management techniques with sewer repairs and improvements to solve a variety of urban challenges. The work will help stop basement flooding, manage stormwater more naturally, and begin to restore the health of our watersheds.
The next public Open House on this project will be: Tuesday, December 7, 2010 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm St. Philip Neri, St. Paul Room in the Paulist Center 2408 SE 16th Avenue (16th and Division). Contact: Rhetta Drennan, 503-823-6006, rhetta.drennan@portlandoregon.gov Website: http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/tabortoriver
The Railroad Crossing Project, in the HAND neighborhoods, is one of 35 project areas in the Tabor to the River basin. The project includes upgrading over 2,700 feet of sewer pipe in 11 blocks. Construction will begin in early Summer 2011. There will be construction on SE 11th and 12th avenues, on Milwaukie from Powell to Division, and along SE Gideon Street. The project will replace and upgrade existing sewers and manholes and install steel casings under the railroad crossing to protect sewer lines. The city’s contractor will bore under the railroad tracks, use pipe bursting methods along Gideon Street, and open trench methods in other areas.
The Tabor to the River Program increases sewer system capacity by:
• Repairing old sewer pipes in danger of failing
• Replacing small pipes with larger diameter pipes
• Building new sewers and manholes
• Planting trees to reduce and slow stormwater flow
• Using green stormwater management facilities to reduce stormwater in the sewer system (constructing green facilities is not part of this project)
Construction of this project will cause traffic detours and lane closures. You will receive advance notice to help you plan for these disruptions. We will work closely with neighbors and local businesses to minimize impacts.
