PBOT begins construction on project to improve safety on 82nd Avenue

After months of planning, Portland transportation and other officials officially launched a maintenance project that could transform one of the city’s most dangerous corridors into a safe area for drivers and pedestrians by 2027.

Construction on PBOT’s Building a Better 82nd program began on the morning of Thursday, Aug. 22, with state Rep. Khanh Pham, City Commissioner Mingus Mapps and other community partners joining PBOT on-site to officially commemorate the start of the project.

Overall, the project will prioritize the 2.5-mile stretch from Northeast 82nd Avenue from Fremont Street to Schuyler Street, and Southeast 82nd Avenue from Mill Street to Foster Road. This stretch includes some of the major community destinations including McDaniel High School and the Jade District.

Between 2012 and 2021, PBOT reported that 14 people died and 122 were left critically injured following crashes on 82nd Avenue south of Lombard Street. The agency estimates that at least four more fatal crashes happened in the area between 2022 and 2023.

KOIN 6 News is a news partner of the Portland Tribune. Their full story can be found at koin.com .