Demonstrations downtown may lead to limited road closures Saturday, Aug. 17 

Mayor Wheeler invites all Portlanders to gather at community events across the city 

(Aug. 13, 2019) The Portland Bureau of Transportation and the Portland Police Bureau advise the traveling public to expect a limited number of road closures in downtown Portland west of the Hawthorne Bridge on Saturday Aug. 17 for demonstrations where some publicly available social media postings indicate some participants intend to engage in criminal acts of violence.

Organizers have not sought event permits from the City of Portland, so information is limited about the plans for the free-speech events. The closures are expected to vary, from about 11 a.m. through the afternoon.

The public is advised to avoid the area from SW Madison Street to SW Alder Street, and from SW Fourth Avenue to Waterfront Park, because roads may be closed for access for protesters or for police activity. PBOT’s First and Jefferson SmartPark Garage will close at 11:59 p.m. on Friday night and remain closed to the public all day on Saturday.

Check trimet.org/alerts before heading out on transit, or sign up for TriMet service alerts by email or text message at trimet.org/email. If Police determine an area has become unsafe, TriMet will adjust their service for the safety of riders and employees.

"People coming here intent on violence should stay away,” Mayor Ted Wheeler said. “I invite all Portlanders to do what we normally do on a beautiful Saturday in August: Gather with family and friends at the many community led events happening downtown and other neighborhoods across the city.” 

While hundreds of people are expected to gather in one part of downtown for the demonstrations, thousands of Portlanders will have the opportunity to enjoy permitted, family-friendly community events in and around the downtown area and across the city. 

The Portland Thorns soccer team will host the Washington Spirit at Providence Park at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Thorns are also sponsoring the Roses on the River 5k Run & Walk on the Eastbank Festival Plaza at 10 SE Main St., starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday. 

Also downtown, the Heaven to Earth Festival will be held at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

The Portland Adult Soapbox Derby will celebrate its 22nd year at Mt. Tabor Park, with family-friendly fun, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. 

PBOT will host a free guided walk, Hillsdale to the Sixth Sextant, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday as part of the bureau's Ten Toe Express series of walking tours across Portland. Meet at the Wilson High School parking lot, at SW Sunset Blvd and Capitol Highway, and hike a challenging 4.5-mile route through George Himes Park to South Portland's trails, sidewalks, and hidden stairways.

Learn about other PBOT sponsored events at the bureau's publicly available Facebook events page.