Big Pipe Update

Although it may seem like it’s been going on forever, the Big Pipe project is actually right on schedule. Here are the current projects being worked on:

SE Stark Street Closure Extended
The work at Outfall 37-3 (SE 3rd Ave and Stark St) continues to tie the existing outfall pipe on SE Stark St to the new 84-inch pipe on SE 3rd Ave. Completion of this phase of work includes stripping the concrete formwork, installing storm sewer pipes to the catch basins, filling the excavated area, and performing site restoration including repaving SE Stark St at that location. The revised completion date is early November.

TUNNEL
Rosie, the tunnel boring machine (TBM), is currently on scheduled to reach the Port Center Shaft on Swan Island in early November. Once the north drive is complete, the TBM will be removed from the shaft and transported back to the Opera Shaft where it will be refurbished in preparation for the south drive to the McLoughlin Shaft at SE 17th Avenue and McLoughlin Blvd.

PIPELINES
SE 3rd Avenue Pothole Restoration (between Morrison and Oak streets): Crews have completed the pothole restoration work on SE 2nd Avenue and SE Morrison Street between SE 2nd and 3rd Avenues. They continue the work to repair pavement sections at various locations along SE 3rd Avenue. The work is necessary to repair areas in the pavement where exploratory holes were dug to expose utilities earlier in the project.

Outfall 38-2 and 38-3 (SE 3rd Ave and Oak St): Work to install manholes and flow through pipes at this location will be suspended through the holidays and will resume sometime in early 2010.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:

Diana Hinton, Community Relations
Environmental Services, City of Portland
East Side Big Pipe Project Office
211 SE Caruthers, Suite 200
Portland OR 97214
503-823-2827
mailto:dianah@bes.ci.portland.or.us
www.cleanriverworks.com