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Construction work on busy Portland intersection set to resume

PHOTO / TINA FISCHER The intersection of High and Congress streets near the Portland Museum of Art will get new sidewalks, paving and lighting.
By Tina Fischer

Portland Public Works is warning drivers to expect delays in the area surrounding the intersection of Congress and High streets in Portland — known as Congress Square — when construction work gets underway Sept. 15.

The project is a continuation of a multi-million dollar redesign of the intersection that got underway in 2022 and was expected to have been finished in 2024. Completion was delayed due to disputes between the city and the original contractor. 

The majority of the work done in 2022 was to the Portland Museum of Art plaza corner of the project, along with realignment of the entry to Free Street and some traffic signal upgrades. 

"There was also some hardscape work completed at this corner though additional hardscape work is necessary," Jessica Grondin, director of communications for Portland, told Mainebiz 

Westbrook-based Coastal Road Repair has now been hired to construct new pavement, sidewalk and ADA improvements, new traffic signal infrastructure, and lighting and landscaping improvements.

Grondin said the awarded bid on this project is for $3.1 million.

"We are in the process of working on some value engineering with the design engineer and contractor, which would reduce the overall contract cost," Grondin said. 

an aerial rendering of the Congress Sq. project
RENDERING / COURTESY CITY OF PORTLAND
Architectural rendering of the planned Congress Square redesign.

A statement from Portland City Hall says “the work will generally be conducted on one quadrant of the intersection at a time, and pedestrian routing will be provided throughout the duration of the project to provide as little inconvenience as possible to pedestrians and businesses.”

Congress Street is expected to have one lane open in each direction. High Street will have two lanes approaching Congress Square and will be reduced to one lane leaving the intersection. Exceptions will occur during periods of milling and paving.

If the project is not completed by Nov. 30, work would resume in April.

Future work is planned for Congress Square Park too, put out as a separate bid and being led by the city’s Planning & Urban Development Department.
 

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