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A Boones Ferry Road improvement , planned near Tryon Creek State Natural Area, has been on a Portland Bureau of Environmental Services list of priorities since the 1990s. Now it has been delayed once again.

Plans call for replacing a metal culvert underneath Boones Ferry Road with a bridge, as well as other work. The construction phase of the $6.4 million project was supposed to begin in January 2018. However, because of drawn-out design and procurement processes, and a tight work window, construction now is not scheduled to begin until January 2019.

鈥淲e have been working on a pretty tight construction timeline,鈥� said Lisa Moscinski, an environmental specialist with the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES). 鈥淭he timing issue has to do with the water work window, which is July 15th to September 30th.鈥�

Work is allowed only during that time in order to avoid harming fish populations in the area. The goal of the project is relatively simple: improve water flow through the area to allow better drainage of stormwater.

鈥淚t’s a priority because of the undersized and aging culvert,鈥� Moscinski said. 鈥淲hen it rains, the water rises significantly.鈥�

A lack of money has been a major source of delays over the years. The design phase started in 2013, but was first put on hold that year and then again in 2014 because of insufficient funding. Then in 2015 the city secured the final $650,000 needed to allow scheduling to begin; the money came from Metro, via its Nature in Neighborhoods program.

Also, the project’s complexity required more planning time. Decades ago, when Boones Ferry Road was built over a confluence of running water, no bridge was included; instead, fill dirt was used to cover a metal culvert allowing water to flow underneath. However, the fill dirt was contaminated with petroleum products and now must be excavated and disposed of.

Figuring out how to deal with the contamination took time. BES officials decided to build a bridge to accommodate wildlife, drivers and pedestrians, and brought BergerABAM aboard to design it. Bridge construction will require closing the road for up to seven months. That led to a study of ways to divert the approximately 18,000 motor vehicle drivers who use the stretch of road each day.

The alternate route that was chosen takes traffic west on Southwest Stephenson Street and then north on Southwest 35th Avenue. The route passes through a neighborhood with an elementary and a middle school, which led to discussions with the Portland Bureau of Transportation and neighborhood associations.

The project also will provide an opportunity to connect regional trails to those in the Tryon Creek State Natural Area. That required coordination with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Plus, a variety of utilities must be moved during construction, requiring even more planning time.

Currently, BES hopes to get bids from contractors in early spring 2018.

鈥淚t is a pretty significant project,鈥� Moscinski said. 鈥淚t takes a bit of time when there is this much design work involved.鈥�