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Traffic Advisory: West Hills Routes

Traffic Advisory: Major West Hills routes to remain closed for several days as utility, forestry and other crews work to clear power lines, downed trees

(April 11, 2022) The first substantial April snow in Portland in more than half a century has felled more than 400 trees across the city, felling power lines and blocking major Northwest and Southwest Portland routes that will remain closed for several days.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is coordinating road closure information and response. When it comes to downed power lines and trees blocking roads, the bureau depends on the efforts of partners who specialize in those emergencies. On Monday, road crews were not able to reach some areas to clear snow and ice because of downed trees and power lines blocking the way.

PGE crews are working to restore power as quickly as safety allows. That work is critical to restoring power for residents and businesses, but also to make roadside areas safe for Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R)’s Urban Forestry crews to clear the large woody debris.

PBOT crews came in Sunday to prepare for the potential for snow and icy conditions. With a forecast of freezing temperatures at high elevation areas for Monday night, PBOT will have additional crews working overnight to use anti-icing chemicals to try to prevent roads from freezing again.

Travelers should use caution on Monday night and Tuesday morning. Beware of areas with black ice that causes road surfaces to be slick and may be difficult to see.

U.S. Highway 26 was closed for a period on Monday but has been reopened by the Oregon Department of Transportation. Check highway conditions before you go at TripCheck.com 

Some road closures are impacting bus service. Check trimet.org for the latest service information before you go. 

Road closures likely to continue for several days

Many major routes through the West Hills were closed on Monday and will remain closed, potentially for several days, including:

W Burnside Street (from NW Skyline Boulevard to NW 24th Avenue)

NW Skyline Boulevard (from NW Newberry Road to NW Germantown Road)

NW Skyline Boulevard  (from W Burnside Street to NW Cornell Road)

SW Capitol Highway (from SW Terwilliger Boulevard to SW Barbur Boulevard)

NW Germantown Road (from NW Skyline Boulevard to NW Bridge Avenue)

NW Cornell Road (at NW Miller Road; also from Skyline to NW 25th Avenue for tunnel maintenance)

Other closures in areas with more nearby alternative routes include: N Willamette Boulevard (at N Hodge Avenue), NE 28th Avenue (from NE Irving Street to NE Hoyt Street) and SE César E. Chávez Boulevard (from SE Main Street to SE Hawthorne Boulevard).

Find the latest road closure information for Portland at the online

Winter Weather Center

Winter Weather Center roads closed screen shot April 2022

View road closures as a list on the PBOT road closure website

 For winter travel tips, road closure information, and more, please visit Portland.gov/winter

From PGE:

  • Our crews are working to restore power to all our customers as quickly as safety allows.
  • If people see a downed power line, they should always assume it is energized and stay far away – and can report a downed line by calling PGE right away at 503-464-7777.
  • Customers can report power outages by using the PGE app, logging into their account online (portlandgeneral.com) or calling 503-464-7777.

Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R)’s Urban Forestry crews are responding to hazardous situations and emergency needs citywide resulting from this unprecedented April snow.

  • 503-823-TREE is the fastest way to report tree emergencies. If phone lines are busy, consider reporting online using the PDX Reporter website.
  • If a tree emergency situation involves downed wires please contact your utility provider first. PP&R Urban Forestry staff are unable to respond until electrical hazards have been addressed.
  • Please avoid calling for NON-emergency issues as crews are focused at this time on reopening major roads and thoroughfares in Portland.
  • For wood debris on sidewalk, it’s the responsibility of the adjacent property owners.
  • For large debris they should call a private tree care company to remove it as needed.
  • If you see a wood pile that City of Portland crews assembled, it is for later removal; that is standard protocol. Given this large number of storm assistance requests being received, it may take several weeks for our capacity to allow for staff to remove the debris.

Instructions on how to dispose of large branches, extra yard waste from the Bureau of Planning & Sustainability:

Details about setting out extra yard waste are here available online at portland.gov/garbage-rates and detailed guidance on what goes in your green bin is available online as well.

  • $3.75 per bag, bundle, or can
  • 32-gallon paper yard waste bag / 45 pounds max
  • Set next to your green compost bin on collection day, multiple bags/bundles allowed
  • Maximum branch size: 3 feet long and under 4 inches thick (see more green bin guidelines here)

For larger items – stumps, large branches – they can:

  • Call their garbage company for a cost estimate; city doesn’t have set rates, so costs vary (if they don’t know who their company is, they can look it up here)
  • Call a junk remove company to get estimates – for recommendations of companies, they can contact Metro’s recycling information center (503-234-3000) or use www.oregonmetro.gov/find-a-recycler
  • Call an arborist to cut up and haul away (I don’t know much about this one, but it seems like a reasonable option!)

For more information about yard waste pick up, call 503-823-7202 or email wasteinfo@portlandoregon.gov.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the city’s transportation system and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage, and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility. Learn more at portland.gov/transportation

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