PORTLAND, Ore. — A roughly two mile stretch of Northwest Germantown Road is temporarily closed as crews with the Portland Bureau of Transportation clean up the road from recent storms.
Germantown Road is closed from Northwest Skyline Boulevard to Northwest Bridge Avenue through Wednesday, Jan. 11. PBOT initially said the closure would be in place until 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 9, but rain over the weekend lead to more erosion along the road.
PBOT crews will remove tons of rocks, soil and tree debris that have accumulated following more than a week of heavy and constant rain. The remnants of recent storms is preventing stormwater from moving down the hillside, so crews will also work to unclog stormwater infrastructure.
"If PBOT crews were to not clear the rocks and debris, NW Germantown Road would be at increased risk of road deterioration and landslides," PBOT said in a news release late last week.
PBOT shared a photo showing the rock, soil and tree debris that have built up on the shoulder of Germantown Road. The photo shows how erosion has impacted the edge of the road. PBOT said the road is safe for drivers to travel on.
Reed Buterbaugh with PBOT said this about the importance of making sure the debris is cleared as we head into the later part of winter and spring.
"With clogged culverts, we can have a lot of problems with increased risk for landslides, increased risk of deterioration," Reed said. "When we are managing these roads we're thinking of a 30-year, 50-year, 100-year lifespan."
During the temporary closure, Germantown Road will remain open for local access. PBOT says people who live in the area should communicate with crews for directions on how to travel through the area to their homes.
In late December, strong winds and rain slammed northwest Oregon and caused flooding, downed trees and power lines, and other hazards across the Portland metro. The storm caused widespread power outages across the region and left thousands of people in the dark for several days.