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Traffic signals funded by a public-private partnership are being switched on in rapidly-developing North Portland.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation last week activated a mast arm traffic signal at North Vancouver Avenue and Northeast Cook Street, where the Boise and Eliot neighborhoods meet. Vancouver Avenue often is flooded with commuters, according to PBOT project manager Andrew Aebi.

Also, a new left-turn signal from North Fremont Street west to Vancouver Avenue will be activated Nov. 6.

The additions were funded primarily by property owners’ payments into the North Vancouver Avenue and Cook Street Local Improvement District, which was formed in May 2014. PBOT paid for overhead costs and one of the traffic signals; it also is issuing system development charge credits to Kaiser Group. The holding company agreed with the Portland City Council to pay for improvements as a condition for a parcel being rezoned on the southeast corner of North Williams Avenue and Fremont Street.

Realignment work and equipment replacement is now complete on Cook Street from the Interstate 405 off-ramp to Vancouver Avenue, and from Vancouver Avenue to the Fremont Street intersection.

With Portland experiencing a housing shortage, Aebi said it’s gratifying to see change taking place on some of North Portland’s weedy, vacant lots.

鈥淚t’s great to see these lots developed to their highest and best use,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s just amazing to see all that’s been done.鈥�