About

Design & Construction

Project Status

Here are the project’s current design and construction priorities:

  • ODOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a Supplemental Environmental Assessment and held a 50-day public comment period for the project from November 15, 2022, to January 4, 2023. FHWA is reviewing all findings and comments. Pending its upcoming decision, construction of Early Work Packages (EWPs) A and B could begin in late 2023.   
  • ODOT and the City of Portland are actively collaborating and working with the community to design a future highway cover plan area that reconnects the Albina neighborhood and reflects community values. The process of designing the highway cover centers the Black and historic Albina community through guidance from the project’s Historic Albina Advisory Board and other thoughtful public engagement. The highway cover design process is expected to occur during 2023-2024, followed by construction of the cover.
Timeline spanning 2021-2030. Proposed Hybrid 3 Concept Environmental Review 2021-2022; Main Construction Package Design 2022-2205; Main Construction Package Construction 2025-2029; Early Work Package A Design 2021-2023; Work Package A Construction 2023-2026; Early Work Package B Design 2021-2023; Work Package B Construction 2023-2026; Early Work Package C Design 2022-2024; Work Package C Construction 2024-2026;

Design

The project is still in the early phases of design for the Main Construction Package, which includes the highway cover. The highway cover will provide the canvas for future community development, and as we design that canvas, we’ll seek community input. Future development of the highway cover will be determined through a public process in partnership with the City of Portland and ODOT.  

The cover design process includes the development of preferred opening-day and longer-term development concepts, street and path design, and options for governance and financing, followed by formation of a Community Framework Agreement to guide future development. ODOT is responsible for designing and constructing the highway cover structure and opening day land use concepts. The City of Portland is responsible for the long-term highway cover development scenarios and permitting decisions related to local streets and land use. 

Design for the project’s EWPs is nearly finished, with EWPs A and B at 90% completion. EWP C is 30% approved and the project team is working toward 60% completion.  

Check out the Project Hybrid 3 Fact Sheet to learn more about the highway cover design specifics or the Supplemental Environmental Assessment for additional information about the project. 

Design Activities

2023

The Historic Albina Advisory Board is helping to guide the highway cover design process. 

2022

  • The project team conducted two online Design Elements Surveys. The first survey asked for community input on the aesthetic design of highway crash barriers and columns in the project area. The second survey gathered similar feedback on two highly visible walls and six bridge locations in the project area.
  • ODOT and the Federal Highway Administration published the Supplemental Environmental Assessment document, which looked at how the project’s design changes resulting from the Independent Cover Assessment would benefit and impact the social, economic and physical environment. Read the Environmental Review Process fact sheet for a full history of this process. 

2021

  • The Independent Cover Assessment, which looked at multiple highway cover design options, concluded. The independent consulting team published a report of their findings, prompting ODOT to make design changes and FHWA to withdraw the Finding of No Significant Impact for the project in early 2022.  

2020

  • ODOT and FHWA prepared a Revised Environmental Assessment that responded to public and agency comments on the 2019 Environmental Assessment. FHWA then issued a Finding of No Significant Impact for the project. 
  • The Historic Albina Advisory Board was formed to ensure community perspectives were central to the project’s design.  

2017-2019

  • The project team studied and published an Environmental Assessment for the project, comparing the effects of building a project with the effects of not building a project. 

Construction

Hamilton/Sundt, a Joint Venture (HSJV), in association with Raimore Construction, is the project’s Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC). HSJV’s planned construction work is broken down into three Early Work Packages, or EWPs--EWPs A, B and C--and one Main Construction Package. Construction is anticipated to begin on EWPs A and B as early as late 2023.  

Check back here for updates or join the email mailing list for the most current construction information.  

Map of the locations of the Early Work Packages.
  • EWP A covers an area between Lillis-Albina Park and the I-405 interchange. 
  • EWP C covers an area between N. Russell St. and N. Flint Ave. 
  • EWP B covers an area between the I-84 interchange and the Moda Center. 

Pre-Construction Activities

2022