New string lighting under Burnside, Morrison and Hawthorne viaducts aims to improve Central Eastside safety

A lighting buildout targets long-criticized dark underpasses

Several of Portland’s most heavily used Central Eastside underpasses are now lit with new overhead string lighting, part of a coordinated effort to brighten spaces beneath bridge viaducts that businesses and workers have long described as unwelcoming after dark. The work focuses on the Burnside, Morrison and Hawthorne bridge viaduct areas—key gateways that connect the industrial and creative district to the rest of the central city.

The lighting was designed to increase visibility in locations where pedestrians, cyclists and drivers converge, and where nighttime conditions can make navigation and personal security concerns more acute. Project organizers have framed the upgrades as both a safety improvement and a public-space intervention meant to make the district’s streets feel more active outside daylight hours.

How the project was funded and coordinated

The initiative was financed through a $232,000 allocation approved by Multnomah County after a formal request in 2023. The funding structure relied on an agreement between the County and the City of Portland, with planning and implementation involving the district’s business advocacy organization and its enhanced service district, alongside a City office that manages public-environment livability and maintenance programs.

Project planning documents and public statements tied the selection of locations to repeated feedback gathered from employers and member surveys, which identified under-bridge darkness as a barrier to pedestrian comfort and to evening economic activity.

Where the lights are meant to have the biggest effect

The illuminated areas include corridors that serve a dense mix of uses—retail storefronts, production spaces, small manufacturers and creative workplaces—often within the same blocks. The project also intersects with two well-known Central Eastside destinations that draw visitors beyond the immediate workforce:

• the Avenue of Murals, a public art corridor under and near the Hawthorne Bridge viaduct approach
• the Burnside Skatepark, a globally recognized DIY skate site beneath the Burnside Bridge’s east end

Organizers have argued that improving the baseline lighting in these places can support public use by making routes between destinations easier to read and by reducing the contrast between bright storefront zones and darker gaps under large transportation structures.

What officials and stakeholders say changes look like on the ground

Local and regional officials have described the effort as a collaboration intended to strengthen district vitality while addressing street-level conditions. Business representatives have reported improved first impressions for visitors and said they have observed more evening foot traffic in certain locations after the lighting was installed. Skating advocates have also described the upgrades as making the under-bridge environment feel more comfortable during hours when the park is actively used.

The project’s stated goals center on improved visibility, more comfortable pedestrian conditions and a more welcoming public realm in spaces shaped by large bridge infrastructure.

What comes next

The viaduct lighting project is being discussed alongside other Central Eastside public-space efforts, including illuminated street-tree programs in portions of the district. For residents and businesses, the practical test will be whether the new lighting remains consistently maintained and whether reported changes in comfort and activity persist through the darker months when demand for evening visibility is highest.