2 days ago
New fencing along I-405 in downtown Portland aimed to deter camping
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Crews started installing new wrought iron fencing along the northbound side of Interstate 405 this week in downtown Portland, part of a joint effort by the city and state to improve safety and reduce camping near the freeway.
The project is led by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) in partnership with Portland Solutions, the city's homelessness and livability team. It includes permanent fencing along Southwest 13th and 14th avenues, totaling nearly $840,000.
According to city officials, fencing along Southwest 13th Avenue will cost $457,000, while work on 14th Avenue is estimated at $383,000. Due to supply chain delays, the city is also spending more than $64,000 on temporary silver fencing to secure the site in the interim. That fencing is expected to be reused on future projects.
Despite the barriers, some unhoused residents are still accessing the area.
'I'm staying because it's very hot and I don't have a place to go,' said Shaana, a man who's lived on the streets for the past two years.
ODOT spokesperson David House said the agency has been installing or repairing fencing near highways in Portland, Salem and Eugene for years to reduce hazards associated with unauthorized encampments.
He emphasized that camping along state highway right-of-ways is illegal and often dangerous, not only for those living there but also for passing drivers and pedestrians.
'What we see is where people are camping, doing graffiti, or taking shortcuts across busy roads,' House said. 'It's something we've been doing for decades and will continue to do.'
The fencing project falls within ODOT's current 2023–25 biennium budget, which ends this month.
No additional state highway fencing projects are scheduled at this time, and the city said it does not have other immediate projects of this scale planned.
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