Local contractor builds a bridge and much more

From ODOT- Hamilton Construction, headquartered in Springfield, Ore., manages the construction of the new Willamette River Bridge for ODOT.



Hamilton is one of the many Oregon construction firms that have successfully bid on bridge projects funded by the Oregon Transportation Investment Act III.



Other OTIA III projects Hamilton has built for ODOT in Lane County include replacing the Interstate 5 McKenzie River bridges and several new bridges at the I-5 Goshen Interchange. They also worked on three additional projects further south on I-5. Hamilton is currently working on another complex OTIA III bridge project over the Sandy River on I-84 in Troutdale.



One of the unique things Hamilton has done for the Willamette River Bridge project was to develop an in-water device called a “bubbleator” to minimize the impact on fish by the vibrations caused by pile driving. For the Sandy River Bridge, they are innovating methods to minimize the risk of flooding by reducing the amount of piers in the river and removing woody debris.



A key goal of the OTIA III program is to stimulate Oregon’s economy through construction work, especially at the local level. For a project as large as this one, Hamilton coordinates more than 40 subcontractors that provide key services and supplies, all timed to meet a demanding schedule. Like Hamilton, the majority of the subcontractors are from the nearby area.



Founded in 1939 to build concrete roads and irrigation systems, Hamilton now specializes in building highway and railroad bridges throughout the western U.S., especially those over bodies of water or with difficult access.



With more than 70 years’ experience, Hamilton is a partner ODOT can count on to build a project as complex as the Willamette River Bridge and to help meet the overall goals of the OTIA III program.