Behind the orange cones: building the foundation

From ODOT-

I am excited to share with you our first video in a series that will highlight the people behind the Willamette River Bridge replacement project who are on the job every day, rain or shine. It was a thrill for me to go on site and see the action up close.



This video focuses on drilling the deep shafts that support the columns of the bridge. Shaft drilling is one of the first major tasks in building the bridge and takes place outside of public view, except for the massive drill you may have seen from a distance. The drill bit, or auger, is about 8 feet in diameter and 6 feet long. Standing next to it, I got a new appreciation for the finesse the crew needs to operate this colossal machinery in tight quarters and to exact measurements.



While I was on site, I talked to a manager from DBM Contractors, the company doing the shaft drilling work. He told us about the giant drill, how it works, the different materials it drills through and the special training needed to operate it.



Please watch the video on our YouTube channel and let us know what you think. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed going on site to make it. I’d also love to hear your suggestions for topics you’d like to see covered in future videos!