Rescheduled for inclement weather, the Portland Water Bureau will close lanes on S.W. Naito Parkway to pave the roadway on Friday, Jan 24.

This is a continuation of work on the Water Bureau’s Willamette River Crossing Project which began in October 2019 and will continue through the spring of 2020. Current work taking place in S.W. Naito Parkway will allow us to connect the new pipe under the Willamette River to the existing water system. 

• Beginning Jan. 24, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., paving work will temporarily close one lane of S.W. Naito Parkway in each direction. Traffic will continue to flow in the remaining lanes. Travelers should expect delays. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.
• The pedestrian and bicycle path along the east side of Naito Parkway will remain open. (There is no bike path on the west side in this area.)
• Paving work is weather dependent and may be delayed due to rain or cold temperatures. The upcoming forecast suggests this is likely.

Later in the spring, construction will temporarily close one lane in each direction to install a new pipe. The Water Bureau will also coordinate with Portland Bureau of Transportation in the coming months as they begin the S.W. Naito Parkway Improvement Project, outlined at portlandoregon.gov/transportation/swnaito.

About the Willamette River Crossing project

Portland’s water mains (pipes) that cross the Willamette River are more than 50 years old and will probably not survive a major earthquake. As part of the Portland Water Bureau’s commitment to preparedness, we are installing an earthquake-resilient water pipe deep under the Willamette River. This new water pipe will help ensure that we can deliver safe and abundant water to the west side, even after an earthquake.

This project is currently in the design and exploration phase. This phase includes locating underground utilities and conducting a geotechnical probe, which will provide important information about soil deep underground and help us confirm the best path across the river. More information: portlandoregon.gov/water/wrx.