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.
The Southwest Portland Post
4207 SE Woodstock Blvd #509
Portland, OR 97206