(November 12, 2014) –  The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the public to be prepared for the possibility of snow and freezing rain beginning tomorrow morning and continuing through the day with a possible accumulation of four to six inches of snow as well as the chance of freezing rain.

The Transportation Bureau, together with TriMet, will hold a media availability today at 2 p.m. at its Maintenance Operations yard at 2929 N Kirby Avenue as crews gear up and prepare vehicles with chains and snow plows, and to share safety information with the public.

Who:   Diane Dulken, Portland Bureau of Transportation spokesperson

            Mary Fetsch, TriMet spokesperson

            PBOT maintenance operations crews gearing up

When: 2 p.m. today, November 12, 2014

Where: Maintenance Operations, 2929 N. Kirby Avenue

Visuals:  Crews installing chains and snow plows on vehicles.

What: Media availability to show crews preparing vehicles with chains and snow plows, and to share winter weather travel and safety tips for the public. 

City of Portland advises public to be prepared for winter conditions

(November 12, 2014) – The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the public to be prepared for the possibility of snow and freezing rain beginning tomorrow morning and continuing through the day and possibly through Friday morning, with a possible accumulation of four to six inches of snow as well as the chance of freezing rain.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the traveling public to stay apprised of the forecast and of the potential for rapidly changing conditions, use caution while traveling, delay trips if possible, and consider taking public transit. 

Transportation maintenance operations crews are preparing for the severe weather forecast for the region by applying a liquid anti-icer on bridges and overpasses today.  Crews will apply anti-icer overnight on routes in the West Hills, along Marine Drive, Sam Jackson Road, and Mt. Scott Boulevard. 

Deicing can prevent slick conditions but is no substitute for caution while traveling.  Crews will also patrol high-elevation areas and will continue to assess road conditions in real time.

In the event of snow tomorrow, the City will focus limited resources on plowing and treating  the highest priority transportation corridors – bridges, overpasses, major streets that serve transit and emergency response vehicles, and critical intersections.  Crews do not plow neighborhood streets.

The public is advised to prepare for snow and ice, and be aware that conditions from a single storm can vary throughout the region because of the area’s unique weather patterns and geography.

Safety tips:

• Please take transit when possible
• If you must drive, consider delaying your trip until road conditions are better.
• Give yourself extra time to get to your destination.
• Drive or bike slowly.  Steer and turn slowly. Brake gently. Stay off the brake on ice.
• Be alert for pedestrians and bicyclists who also are traveling on slick, wet surfaces.
• Carry an emergency kit.

 A chain-up area on West Burnside near 24^th Avenue will be activated.  The city urges motorists not to abandon vehicles in a travel lane, an occurrence that has happened in previous storms.  Abandoned vehicles block traffic and impede emergency vehicles and public transit. The city is also stepping up parking enforcement at that location. Any abandoned vehicle is subject to being cited and towed.

In the event of snow, the Transportation Bureau will cancel its Leaf Day operations for Thursday in the Mock Crest neighborhood (N3) and adjust residents’ bills accordingly.  That area is scheduled for a second leaf day pickup on December 9, 2014.

The transportation bureau posts updates at its twitter feed, @PBOTinfo and offers a variety of safety tips on its web site portlandoregon.gov/transportation and on PublicAlerts.org

Additional online weather tips are:

PublicAlerts.org  - One-stop clearinghouse for alerts and weather information

Portland Bureau of Transportation

Snow and Ice resources https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/47307

Are You Prepared?  https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/295492

Frequently Asked Questions  https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/327886

TriMet

Plan your trip online and check for service alerts

http://trimet.org/

Oregon Department of Transportation

Driving Tips from ODOT http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/COMM/Pages/winterdriving.aspx

City of Portland advises travelers use extreme caution this afternoon/tonight

(November 13, 2014) – The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation strongly advises the traveling public to use caution this afternoon and evening as temperatures drop and the chance rises that black ice may form on sections of streets throughout the region.

Black ice can form when wet pavement freezes.  Black ice is an extreme hazard for all travelers – the pavement looks wet, but is in fact icy and extremely slick.  Black ice can form in pockets or on whole sections of streets or sidewalks.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the public to travel with extreme caution this afternoon and tonight:

• If driving:  travel slowly, leave extra distance between vehicles, brake gently, and look out for other vehicles, as well as people on foot or bicycle.
• If walking or bicycling: be visible, travel with care, travel slowly, be aware that any wet pavement can be icy, and be extra aware of vehicles around you.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation is advising that vehicles traveling on West Burnside and SW Sam Jackson Road use chains.  It has also activated two chain up areas: on West Burnside near 24^th Avenue and at the foot of SW Sam Jackson Road.

The city urges motorists to not abandon their vehicles in chain up areas or in travel lanes, as has happened in previous storms.  Abandoned vehicles block traffic and impede emergency vehicles and public transit. Any abandoned vehicle is subject to being cited and impounded.

The transportation bureau continues to operate under an incident command structure, which means crews are operating on 12 hour shifts and responding to weather conditions as they arise. 

Transportation crews are prepared to apply deicer on slick streets or sand as needed.. Deicing can prevent or minimize slick conditions and sand can add traction, but they are no substitute for traveling with caution. 

The transportation bureau posts updates at its Twitter feed, @PBOTinfo and offers a variety of safety tips on its web site portlandoregon.gov/transportation and on PublicAlerts.org

Additional online weather tips are:

PublicAlerts.org  - One-stop clearinghouse for alerts and weather information

Portland Bureau of Transportation

Snow and Ice resources

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/47307

Are You Prepared?

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/295492

Frequently Asked Questions

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/327886

TriMet

Plan your trip online and check for service alerts

http://trimet.org/

(November 17, 2014)  – The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the traveling public that street improvements will require lane closures on NE 28^th Avenue from NE Glisan Street to NE Broadway from Tuesday, November 18 through Monday, December 1^st, 7 a.m. through 5 p.m. each weekday. This project may also include some weekend work.

The lane closures will allow crews to grind 1.39 lane miles of pavement in preparation for paving at a later date.  

PBOT street improvement crews work through the winter, adjusting tasks based on weather conditions. During the winter season, PBOT street improvement crews can grind down old asphalt and prepare street surfaces for paving even in cold and rainy conditions. They will return to the street to complete paving when dry conditions prevail. 

Streets with ground down surfaces are open for travel. Lane closures are only in effect during project hours.  

 During the project, access will be maintained for businesses and residents. The public is advised to expect delays while repairs are being made. We ask the public to travel cautiously, observe all lane closures and directions by flaggers, and use alternate routes if possible.

This work is weather-dependent and the schedule may change.

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(November 19, 2014)  Wait! Bicycling season is not over. The Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Active Transportation Division has lots of activities planned to help you become an all-season commuter and to stay active all year long.

You will find us well represented at the upcoming Fix-It Fair on Saturday, November 22 from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm at Parkrose High School, 12003 NE Shaver St. We will have a general information table complete with walk and bike maps, other information and fun giveaways. All Fix-It Fairs are FREE and open to the general public.

In addition, we’ll offer a FREE 45-minute All Season Cycling Class at the Fix-It Fair at 1:00 pm. You can learn how to make yourself visible with the right lights, gear and clothing, how to recognize and deal with seasonal road hazards, and how to dress to stay dry and comfortable in all weather conditions. If time allows, we’ll spend some time talking about basic bike maintenance for winter weather.

The Safe Routes to School team will be at the Fix-It Fair talking to families about walking school buses, bike trains and more.  We’ll also have FREE basic bike repair for students and families from 9:45 am to 2:00 pm.  Be sure to have your bike there by 2:00 pm so our amazing volunteers from Bike Farm and Bikes for Humanity have time to complete needed work before the Fix-It Fair closes. Some typical repairs we perform include tightening brakes, fixing flats and adjusting shifters.

Finally, we will again offer our 90-minute All Season Cycling Class, postponed on November 13 due to the threat of winter weather. The newly rescheduled class is on Thursday, December 4 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the PCC CLIMB Center, 1626 SE Water Ave. It’s FREE (no registration needed) and includes a raffle for seasonally appropriate prizes!

We’ll do what we can to help you stay healthy and happy and on your bike all year long!