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Portland City Council on Wednesday approved an emergency ordinance to authorize solicitation of bids for a project to improve safety along 82nd Avenue, between Northeast Klickitat Street and Southeast Lambert Street.

82nd Avenue is one of Portland’s most dangerous streets and needs critical safety improvements, Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said on Wednesday. Through House Bill 5006, signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown last year, the state appropriated $150 million for repairs and improvements along 82nd Avenue. The state’s initial contribution of $80 million, from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), will be used to pay for safety and maintenance projects, as well as planning for future phases.

In April, Portland City Council approved transfer of ownership of 82nd Avenue from the Oregon Department of Transportation to the city as well as acceptance of $80 million in ARPA funding.

鈥淏ecause the initial funding must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024, and spent by Dec. 31, 2026, PBOT is prioritizing investments that were identified in previous planning processes and meet critical safety needs,鈥� Hardesty said.

Many more investments are planned for the corridor, Hardesty added. Over the next several years, the Portland Bureau of Transportation and ODOT will add or upgrade a total of 17 crossings on 82nd Avenue to improve safety.

In this project, crossings with signals will be constructed on 82nd Avenue at Northeast Klickitat Street, Northeast Schuyler Street, Southeast Clinton Street and Southeast Schiller Street. The crossings will include median islands with trees. The project was designed by an in-house engineer, PBOT capital projects manager Nicole Pierce said.

鈥淪afe pedestrian crossings and medians like these are some of the most effective measures we have to reduce or eliminate fatal and serious injury crashes,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hese new pedestrian crossings with tree-lined median islands will provide safe and comfortable places for people to cross 82nd Avenue.鈥�

The total project cost is approximately $6.1 million. The work may be constructed in whole or in part by the city of Portland, or the city may seek bids for any portion of the project, the ordinance states.

The project is set to go to bid this winter. Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2023.