PORTLAND, Ore. — The busy 82nd Avenue corridor is one of the most dangerous parts of Portland's street grid, and everyone from city transportation officials to local drivers and pedestrians are keenly aware of the hazards.
"Speeding, running lights, more aggressive with each other and frustration with pedestrians," driver Dan Nodine said. "You see a lot of that."
Nodine and two of his friends work near 82nd Avenue in East Portland, and all three of them are aware of its issues and the need for upgrades.
"A little more space, a little more widening of the roads," James Horn said.
Despite functioning as a city street, the road has historically been considered a state highway under the jurisdiction of the Oregon Department of Transportation, limiting the Portland Bureau of Transportation's ability to make those sorts of improvements.
But as of Wednesday, PBOT has a new tune: Ask and you shall receive.
That's because ODOT and Portland finalized an agreement earlier this year to transfer control of 82nd Avenue to the city, and the 'orphan highway' handover takes effect June 1.
Portland now owns the seven-mile stretch of 82nd Avenue from Killingsworth to Clatsop Streets, and from here on out it'll be PBOT, not ODOT, that maintains the street and decides when and how to upgrade it.
"This is a very big deal," PBOT spokesperson Hanna Schafer said. "It's coming after decades of activism by the community to make changes on 82nd."
The transfer agreement comes with a state funding commitment to help PBOT cover the cost of the huge swath of improvements that are needed to bring the corridor up to city standards.
Residents and travelers can expect to see the first round of improvements relatively soon; Schafer said over the course of the next four years, approximately $80 million will go towards improving lighting, pedestrian crossings, and pavement, among other things.
"The urgency here is very clear and we want to make the changes soon and invest quickly so we can hopefully prevent any future loss of life," Schafer said, referring to the 19 people who have been killed along 82nd in the last 15 years.
The ownership transfer is a welcome development for those who use the street regularly.
"It might be better managed by the city, in my opinion, cause they can see what's happening day to day and make small changes," Nodine said.
Following the critical upgrades in the next four years, PBOT will invest another $105 million in additional safety improvements. The community will have a say what those upgrades look like. Interested residents can join in the process here.