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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2017)
We got a blizzard of snow photos.The best appear on Page 3. More photos online at facebook/swportland post. There’s a new bar opening this month at John’s Marketplace. See “The Country Store” – Page 4 Jack Rubinger writes about the Women’s March on Portland – Page 8 The Southwest Portland Post Volume No. 25 Issue No. 4 www.swportlandpost.com Portland, Oregon Complimentary February 2017 Snow blankets community causing businesses and schools to close By Erik Vidstrand The Southwest Portland Post Sparks from downed power lines cause trees to catch fire along Southwest 55th Avenue on Jan. 11. Additional snowstorm photos on Page 3. (Anonymous photo) Over a foot of snow fell on Jan. 11 blanketing southwest Portland neighborhoods. As temperatures dropped below freezing during the day and into the teens at night, snow remained on the ground for over a week. The inclement weather caused downed trees, power outages, school and business closures, traffic accidents, and a variety of broken pipes. At the same time, children enjoyed sledding, locals were seen skiing and snowshoeing, and igloos and forts popped up around neighborhoods and town centers. Many shops in Multnomah Village had posted closed signs. Employees could not get to work in many cases and customers were scarce at shops that did remain open according to many owners. This reporter, who was snowbound, did not have mail for a whole week. Large packages were delivered but regular mail service was postponed. “What happened to the post office’s motto?” asked neighbor Penny Shattuck. According to the local mail carrier after the snow melted, postal workers could not make it to the downtown Portland main post office due to the weather. The mail could not be sorted or delivered for days. “Post offices worse hit were West Slope, Tigard, and Multnomah stations,” the carrier said as snow drifts lay melting. “Certified carrier assistants who have been trained for situations like this, were utilized to sort mail and deliver it using four-wheel drives or vehicles with chains.” Around 5,000 gallons of sewage overflowed from a manhole in southwest Portland. Sewer maintenance crews responded to the overflow on a vacant lot on Shattuck Road near Hamilton Street. The sewage went into the ground and a ditch that leads to Fanno Creek at Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway. Workers cleared a sewer line blockage to stop the sewage release and restored service finally. Warning signs were posted in areas accessible to the public. People were advised to avoid contact with Fanno Creek for at least 48 hours due to the possibility of increased bacteria in the water. The City of Portland treats an average of 70 million gallons of wastewater each day. With the snow and ice melt, that volume is increasing, according to the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services. According to the bureau, over one third of Portland’s more than 2,500 miles of sewer pipes are more than 80 years old. “Pipes that fail or become blocked with grease, tree roots, and debris can cause sewage overflows,” replied (Continued on Page 3) After five years, a few finishing touches are yet to be completed zone slope under the western span of the bridge. Other projects include installing By Erik Vidstrand a permanent concrete barrier on the The Southwest Portland Post outside of the northbound lane under the bridge. A protective barrier will A few projects are still wrapping be installed at the bottom of the fence up at the Sellwood Bridge. The on this bridge that will carry people contractor is working on clean-up from the regional trail under the main tasks throughout the project area. One bridge to reach its south sidewalk. of these involves restoring a work Concrete was recently poured where the trolley tracks cross the Macadam Bay driveway. Raised warning domes for visually i m p a i r e d pedestrians will be installed where the trail crosses the tracks near the bridge. Bicyclists and pedestrians Wi n t e r s n o w c o v e r s t h e n e w S e l l w o o d B r i d g e . c r o s s i n g t h e According to officials the bridge is 99 percent complete. Sellwood Bridge (Photo courtesy of Multnomah County) are being re- SELLWOOD BRIDGE routed a short distance around a piece of construction equipment which is stationed on one of the bridge sidewalks. “Crews are using a snooper truck to install architectural light fixtures below the bridge deck,” said Mike Pullen, county spokesperson. “The daytime work is expected to last through early February. “The work will impact only one sidewalk at a time and equipment will be removed on nights and weekends.” On Jan. 19, bridge project managers provided a farewell briefing about the replacement of the Sellwood Bridge at the very first meeting of the new Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. “We’re 99.9 percent done with construction,” county transportation director and Sellwood Bridge program manager Ian Cannon explained to the board. The board includes three new commissioners. (Continued on Page 7) Don’t forget to renew your subscription. Form on Page 2. 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