News Release: NW 23rd Avenue to be repaved from NW Northrup to NW Vaughn streets after decades of deferred maintenance starting Monday, May 4

In this article

(April 30, 2026) The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will pave seven critical blocks of NW 23rd Avenue from NW Northrup to Vaughn streets starting on Monday, May 4 with work starting at 6 a.m. and continuing through 4:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday.

During the week of May 4 through 7, resurfacing of NW 23rd Avenue will occur between NW Vaughn and Quimby streets. From May 11 through 14, resurfacing will occur between NW Quimby to Northrup streets.

In 2010, PBOT paved NW 23rd Avenue from West Burnside to Lovejoy Street as part of a Capital Improvement Project. At that time the bureau rebuilt corner ramps and removed historic streetcar rails which were the cause of significant pavement deficiencies.

This current paving project is a short-term fix to address critical pavement failures on NW 23rd Avenue. The street's base (the support structure under the driving surface) has failed, causing extensive surface cracking, potholes, and water infiltration that extends below the surface of the roadway. The conditions are leading to unsafe conditions for people traveling along and across the corridor.

The resurfacing will support NW 23rd Avenue's main street activity, including businesses and emergency room access at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. It will improve conditions on the Neighborhood Main Street until the Montgomery Park Streetcar Extension can address the street's structural issues and broader streetscape needs.

Throughout construction, all businesses and sidewalks will remain open, as will pedestrian access throughout the corridor. Both lanes and parking will reopen at the end of each workday at approximately 4:30 p.m., and both lanes and parking will be open on Friday and over the weekend.

After paving this section, PBOT will improve Lovejoy to Northrup next, upgrading curb ramps at Lovejoy and Marshall this summer, then repaving this section in the fall.

This schedule is tentative and may change. As with all construction projects, expect some dust and noise from heavy equipment, as well as disruptions to traffic.

Always travel cautiously around work zones, observe all lane closures, and follow directions by reader boards and flaggers. Use alternate routes if possible.

For additional details and to sign up for updates, visit www.portland.gov/NW-23rd-repaving