PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Today’s the day — President Joe Biden will be stopping in Portland Thursday as part of his visit to the Pacific Northwest.
Details for the presidential trip were released on Wednesday, following several days of speculation over where Biden will stop around the Rose City.
Biden will reportedly be focusing on infrastructure around the region. The White House says he will specifically highlight how his $1 trillion infrastructure plan fits into an ongoing project at the Portland International Airport, which ensures runways can survive earthquakes.
“He was struck by the investment of the resilient runway and thinks it’s a great example of the types of projects that we’ll see by bipartisan infrastructure law, so he wants to see it up close and person,” Chris Meagher, deputy press secretary for the White House, told KOIN 6 News. “He knows that Portland is susceptible to weather like you’re experiencing right now, but also earthquakes, and it’s important that our nation’s infrastructure is able to withstand weather events.”
The president is set to deliver remarks around 2 p.m. at the Portland Air National Guard Base. Following his speech at PDX, he’s expected to meet donors and supporters at the Portland Yacht Club.
The last time Biden was in Oregon, it was for a fundraiser during the 2020 presidential campaign. In 2014 while vice president under Obama, he made an impromptu visit to the original Salt and Straw in Northeast Portland.
The last time a sitting president was in Portland was when then-President Barack Obama appeared at a Nike event — nearly seven years ago.
The Portland Police Bureau told KOIN 6 News it is not sure what roads, if any, will be impacted by Biden’s visit but that motorcades “travel quickly and interruptions are brief.”
The visit will delay some flights at PDX as well, as the Federal Aviation Administration will implement a temporary restriction notice from noon to 5:30 p.m. for non-commercial aircraft.