It is less than two weeks until this year's Drumcree parade gets under way. With no apparent solution visible, the opposing communities are bracing themselves for another summer of chaos and confrontation.
Already, Portadown's loyalist estates are awash with flags and bun ting. In the majority of streets the Drumcree flag has replaced the more traditional Union and Ulster flags.
Mounds of wooden pallets and rubber tyres, destined for the Twelfth bonfires are growing daily. Residents of the estates, somewhat reticent in recent weeks in relation to Drumcree, are now prepared to espouse vocally the "right to walk the Garvaghy Road".
"Yes, they should go down the Garvaghy Road," said Corcrain resident Mr Billy Ramsay, "it's the only way serious trouble in Portadown will be prevented this year. Protestants here are sick and tired at being held to ransom by a minority of individuals within the nationalist community.
"All this nonsense, claiming they are under siege, that they are the victims, it's all propaganda designed to demonise the loyalists in Portadown. Unfortunately, it appears to be succeeding."
A short distance away, the Garvaghy Road sports its contrasting decorations. Tricolours flutter from every possible location along the length and breadth of the arterial route linking Portadown's nationalist community with the outside world.
Here also, attitudes have hardened considerably. After 11 months of resistance, there is undoubtedly a steely determination that the Orangemen will not parade down the Garvaghy Road.
"Yes, attitudes have hardened here," said SDLP Assembly member for Upper Bann Brid Rodgers, "because of the behaviour of the Orange Order over the past 11 months, 11 months which have seen a proliferation of marches . . . and an insistence by the Orange Order on an absolute right to march. The whole situation is frightening at the moment.
"Although attitudes have hardened, the nationalist community wants an honourable solution based on mutual respect to this impasse," continued Ms Rodgers. "By continuing to refuse to speak face to face with the residents, the Grand Lodge of Ireland have contributed to the current situation."