PORTLAND, Ore. — City crews completed repairs on a broken pressurized sewage pipe underneath the North Columbia Boulevard overpass on Wednesday, but traffic detours will remain in place through at least late May as crews repair the bridge site near where the break occurred and check for further damage, the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services (PBES) reported Friday.
"Repairing the sewer main and securing the pipe was a major accomplishment in this project," said Dylan Rivera from the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT). "But there is a lot more work to be done.”
The pipe burst on March 21, resulting in a large sewage overflow that prompted warnings to stay out of the Columbia Slough, a warning that has since expired. The city closed North Columbia Boulevard between North Rivergate Boulevard and North Burgard after the pipe burst.
Crews patched a break in the pipe on March 27 and completed final repairs this week. Engineers and a contractor from PBES, as well as engineers from PBOT, must now repair the site and bridge near the break and check for other damage. For that reason, traffic detours will remain in place.
“This bridge and the embankment that support the ramp all have to be able to withstand a lot of heavy freight traffic," said Rivera.
If damage to the bridge ramp is discovered, it could extend the time frame for the closure, officials said.
Detour information
Drivers should avoid the area and use alternate routes. But if they must travel in the area, here is the detour information:
- Northbound Columbia Boulevard travelers should drive east to North Portland Road and go west on North Marine Drive to access the Rivergate and Kelley Point areas.
- Southbound Columbia Boulevard travelers should drive east on Marine Drive, then south on Portland Road to reach Columbia Boulevard south of the bridge.
Bicyclists and pedestrians are allowed on the bridge, but they must follow all directions from work crews and all construction signage at the site.