New lighting under Burnside, Morrison and Hawthorne viaducts targets safety and visibility in Portland’s Central Eastside

A multi-agency lighting upgrade focuses on under-bridge corridors long flagged as dark, high-anxiety crossings

A lighting initiative beneath several Central Eastside viaducts has been completed, aiming to improve nighttime visibility and the sense of personal safety in some of Portland’s most heavily traveled under-bridge routes. The work focused on underpasses associated with the Burnside, Morrison and Hawthorne bridge approaches—areas that connect industrial and commercial blocks with transit, nightlife, and waterfront destinations.

The project was advanced through coordination among local district organizations and City of Portland staff, with dedicated county funding approved after a formal request in 2023. The effort was framed as a response to repeated concerns from employers and property owners about low-light conditions that affected evening travel, pedestrian comfort and customer access during Portland’s shorter winter days.

How the project was funded and organized

The completed initiative was funded with $232,000 that was approved through Multnomah County budgeting and then implemented via an intergovernmental arrangement with the City of Portland. District partners worked with the City’s Public Environment Management Office, which oversees a portfolio of public-realm improvements that can include lighting, murals, landscaping and other street-level interventions intended to address livability concerns.

Organizers described the work as the product of multi-year advocacy and iterative design coordination, including site assessments under bridge structures and along key pedestrian corridors.

Where new lighting is most visible

Several of the most prominent improvements are concentrated in places that function as gateways into the Central Eastside’s mixed industrial, retail and creative zones. The lighting also enhances visibility around two destinations frequently cited in discussions about nighttime activity under the viaducts:

• the Avenue of Murals corridor under the Hawthorne Bridge viaduct, where large-scale artworks line the columns and walls
• the Burnside Skatepark, located beneath the east end of the Burnside Bridge

What supporters say will change on the ground

Businesses and community representatives involved in the rollout said the primary expected benefits are clearer sightlines, improved wayfinding through underpasses, and a more welcoming environment for people walking to restaurants, retail and workplaces after dark. Project partners also said the brighter under-bridge spaces are intended to help these corridors function more consistently as connectors rather than barriers between Central Eastside destinations.

The stated purpose of the installation is to increase visibility and comfort in under-bridge areas that had been identified as priority locations for safety improvements.

Context: how lighting fits into Central Eastside public-realm strategy

The Central Eastside has used a combination of public investment and district-level service models to supplement baseline city services. The area is also served by an Enhanced Service District structure that funds added cleaning, safety and place-based improvements. The viaduct lighting project aligns with that broader approach: targeted, location-specific interventions intended to improve conditions on sidewalks and other public spaces used by workers, residents and visitors.

With construction now complete, the project’s next test will be whether brighter underpasses translate into sustained changes in nighttime travel patterns, perceived safety and business activity across the Central Eastside’s bridge-adjacent corridors.