PORTLAND, Ore. -- The City of Portland is working on a major project to rip out old trolley lines on Northwest 23rd.
The project turns Northwest 23rd from Westover to Lovejoy into a one-way road.
But there could be more problems across the river. City crews are shutting down two lanes of Broadway between NE Grand and NE Williams to build a streetcar on the east side of the river. More: List of city contruction projects
While Deborah Haynes works inside her cosmetic shop on Northwest 23rd Avenue, she can hear the noise outside her door.
"I'm a little nervous, " she said, citing a slumping economy.
"It's from the original streetcar. We need to do this because the sewer lines are hundreds of years old, " said Dan Anderson, who works for Portland's Department of Transportation.
Haynes has been working with the city on this for years. She's optimistic, but apprehensive, considering the traffic congestion could affect her bottom line.
"It's all about how you look at it, " she said, "I am confident that Oregonians like to buy locally and despite the construction, we are at a location that's easy to find."
Drivers like Adam Goucher has to follow the detour around it.
"I don't know much about the signs but so far I'm not finding any problems whatsoever, " said Goucher.
Another project on the eastside could catch your eye.
Crews are working on Couch between NE 14th Avenue and 3rd Avenue to untangle a nasty intersection here.
"It's called the spaghetti intersection, " said Andersen, "Sandy, 12th, and Burnside."
He realizes there will be delays for drivers, but in the end, he says the projects will mean smooth sailing.
Back on Northwest 23rd Avenue, Greg Dietzen is excited to walk his dogs on a smoother street.
"It doesn't bother me, as long as they fix the potholes it's fine."
The NW 23rd Avenue project will be done by the end of May. The streetcar project on the eastside won't be operable until April 2012.
