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(May 1, 2026) Following the emergence of a sinkhole earlier this afternoon, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) crews from the Environmental Systems Division are conducting emergency repairs on SW Alder Street between 2nd and 3rd avenues.
To safely repair the street, it must be closed to all motor vehicles overnight, with the expectation that it will be open by early Saturday morning.
Crews arrived on site at about 4:45 p.m. and early assessments showed a sinkhole sized at approximately 6x6x4 feet. A camera investigation followed and found two holes leaking from a 12” main line of clay pipe from 1898 running between two maintenance holes. These leaks had slowly been forming a cavity under the road surface. As can be the case with sinkholes, particularly in warmer months, this cavity was exposed when temperatures warmed this week and the asphalt softened.
Crews will now excavate the road and replace the pipe before covering the road with a steel plate. PBOT paving crews will return early next week to resurface the road and give it a new, smooth surface.
The traveling public is advised to expect delays, travel cautiously, observe all closures and directions by flaggers, and use alternate routes if possible. Local access to residences and businesses will remain available. Public transit riders should check TriMet.org for service impacts.
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