New bridge is open to traffic

Traffic is now flowing on both spans of the Whilamut Passage Bridge. Below is a photo of the new bridge, looking down Interstate 5 toward the south.

We are also happy to report that the northbound Franklin Boulevard off-ramp (exit 192) is open once again, after a closure of nearly two years.

Community celebration to mark opening of new I-5 Whilamut Passage Bridge

From ODOT-

On
Saturday, Aug. 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., ODOT will host a special community
celebration to commemorate the opening of the new Interstate 5 Whilamut Passage
Bridge to traffic.

Mark
your calendar, because this family-friendly celebration will be the last
opportunity for people age 16 and older to walk on the new northbound I-5
bridge over the Willamette River before it opens to traffic. People wanting to
access the bridge need to wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and be able to climb
six flights of stairs.

We’re
also offering a self-guided tour under and around the bridge that’s open to all
ages, where you can take in the park improvements to the beautiful Whilamut
Natural Area, check out the project design enhancements that reflect the area
history, culture and community values, and meet project officials, design
enhancement teams and community volunteers. Be sure to stop by and say hello — some
of the folks who contribute to this blog will be there; look for the bright red
T-shirts.

Thanks
to the Eugene-Springfield community’s partnership we’ve built a functional and
beautiful bridge and improved the surrounding parklands. We couldn’t be happier
with the outcome.

The
Whilamut Passage Bridge community celebration will be held north of the
Knickerbocker Bridge, in the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park.

Looking
forward to seeing you there!

Community Advisory Group helped us build a bridge with lasting legacy

From ODOT-

The
soon-to-be-open Whilamut Passage Bridge is a tribute to the designers,
builders, project managers, volunteer community members and officials who
worked together to make it a success. 

Before
construction began, ODOT promised to incorporate community values and ideas
into the bridge design, and to leave the project area in better shape than
before construction began.  

The
project’s Community Advisory Group has been integral to our accomplishing this
goal. They have been meeting since 2007 and just held their final meeting.  

Members
have included representatives from local neighborhoods, recreation groups,
local artists, architects, the University of Oregon and the Citizen Planning
Committee for the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park and Eastgate
Woodlands. The group functions in an advisory role and provides recommendations
to a multi-agency project development team, which then makes recommendations to
ODOT. 

The
CAG participated in important decisions such as the deck-arch design of the new
bridge, community involvement activities and the selection of design
enhancements. Members volunteered over 1,300 hours in meetings, open houses and
countless other community activities. 

“The
Community Advisory Group has been a valuable partner in helping ODOT address
community concerns and build a project that reflects the history and culture of
the area,” said Karl Wieseke, ODOT project manager.  

“Thanks
to the work of CAG members, this $204 million bridge replacement project has
maintained strong public interest in and support for good design that
complements the surrounding parks and Whilamut Natural Area. Their efforts and
advocacy for excellence will have a lasting impact for decades to come,”
Wieseke said.

Making a transition from roadway to bridge

From ODOT-

Have you ever noticed that little bump as you start over the new southbound Whilamut Passage Bridge? It’s caused by an impact panel and is intentional and vital to our bridge design.



The construction team completed building the last impact panel on the project this week, for the new northbound bridge. The impact panel is a slab of concrete, about 20 feet wide, that serves as the transition from the roadway onto the bridge structure. The point where the panel meets the bridge is designed to expand or contract in response to temperature, vibration or seismic activity with the use of an expansion joint that allows carefully controlled movement.



Last week, crews formed the steel reinforcement and poured the cast-in-place slab of concrete which, combined with the expansion joint, make up the impact panel.



Crews use the Bid-Well machine to spread and level the new concrete for the impact panel.


This week, workers will install railing and barriers alongside this section of the roadway. The team will cover the concrete impact panel with black asphalt paving this spring when the roadway and deck are finished.

Residents and students tour the project for one-of-a-kind views

From ODOT-

As construction continues on the Whilamut Passage Bridge and surrounding areas, many people want to see the project up close. Imagine standing next to massive equipment and bridge structures in areas typically closed off from the public.

Last month nearly 30 people, including a local cycling group, took a tour and viewed the construction from the work bridge and surrounding paths. Hamilton Construction generously provides the hard hats and safety vests since this is an active construction zone and safety is a high priority.

Hamilton Construction Manager
Con O’Connor leads a tour across the work bridge.

Standing on what will soon be the northbound bridge deck; ODOT Project Manager Karl Wieseke explains the next steps on the northbound bridge by noting features of the finished southbound bridge.

People learn about the talking stones along paths in the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park.



Our team enjoys sharing the project with the community. In fact, this week alone we have three tours scheduled. One of the tours was led by our lead project designer OBEC Consulting Engineers. OBEC showed the bridge to students from Churchill High School’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program as part of their engineering class bridge design project.




Touring the project is the best way to fully grasp the magnitude and complexity of the Willamette River Bridge project. While tour times vary based on construction activity and safety, they’ll continue throughout the project. Contact Nichole Hayward at (541) 484-7052 or nichole@cawood.com if you are interested in scheduling a tour.

Looking back at 2012 and ahead to 2013

From ODOT-

As we welcome 2013, I’m thinking back on all of the progress our contractor Hamilton Construction and its subcontractors have made during the past year.



We started last January with just the new southbound bridge standing and a year later the arches for northbound bridge are almost done.


Here’s a look at how far we have come.

Crews opened 2012 by drilling holes into the earth for the shafts that would support the columns for the new set of arches on the northbound bridge over the Willamette River.

Early in the year, the team started building the touch-down point for the new northbound bridge, as shown above.

While workers removed most of the temporary detour bridge before 2012, they completed the task in June with the removal of the portion over Canoe Canal.

 

Construction of the new Canoe Canal span also began and completed in June.



This picture, taken in November from upstream, shows the arches for the new northbound bridge under construction. The final concrete pours joining the arch sections will occur this month.

Bridge construction was not the only accomplishment in 2012. Our project team also realigned nearby paths in Alton Baker Park, built a sound wall along northbound I-5, restored a stream on the south bank of the Willamette River and honored the Kalapuya Tribe with a ceremony commemorating the official bridge name, Whilamut Passage.

A new soft path now connects to a paved path in the Whilamut Natural Area.

Irrigation lines will help vegetation grow along the new sound wall.

Boulders help habitat in this newly restored stream.

Citizen volunteers join ODOT and local staff alongside the new Whilamut Passage Bridge name sign.

I’m excited to continue sharing project milestones and glimpses from behind the orange cones with you in 2013 as we complete the arches and bridge deck, open the new bridge to traffic and continue working on park restoration and design enhancements.

From the entire Willamette River Bridge Project team, here’s wishing you a safe and very Happy New Year!

Watch naming ceremony highlights in the latest online video

From ODOT-

Our latest Behind the Orange Cones video is especially moving. It contains highlights of the Sept. 29 Whilamut Passage naming ceremony. We’ve captured photos of the special day along with speeches by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and other community members who played a significant role in naming the bridge.



If you were there, this video will be a wonderful reminder of the day – as it was for me. If not, you will get to see and hear the touching moments.

Get the scoop on park improvements in the latest Behind the Orange Cones video

From ODOT-

The parkland surrounding the Interstate 5: Willamette River Bridge project is much beloved by athletes, commuters and reflective outdoor enthusiasts. These same park paths and natural areas also play a very important role in our construction story.



To film our latest online video, I relished the opportunity to spend part of my day capturing how we’ve worked to protect, enhance and improve this beautiful area, including its many paths and waterways.



In this video, you will learn that while construction has led to temporary impacts to Alton Baker Park and the Whilamut Natural Area; it will lead to valuable improvements when the bridge work is done.



We highlight the importance of the parkland around the bridge and show what construction crews are doing now and will accomplish in the future. These improvements include stream restoration and a temporary fish ladder, informative kiosks and visual enhancements along the Canoe Canal path and waterway.



Please enjoy watching and feel free to post your comments and questions.

The latest newsletter is now available

From ODOT-

Our Willamette River Bridge project fall newsletter is now available.



Take a look to see pictures of the new arches under construction and get a rare glance at the inside of a bridge span before the top deck is paved. You can also see the newly enhanced stream bed on the south bank of the river.



The newsletter also features articles about the Whilamut Passage Bridge naming ceremony and design enhancement updates.



Our project newsletter is distributed electronically. To get a copy sent directly to your inbox, please email Nichole@cawood.com.



If you have a question about the project, a suggestion for a future newsletter article or a photo of the construction work you’d like to share with us, please contact me at jyll.e.smith@odot.state.or.us.



Thank you and happy reading!

Scenes from the bridge site

From ODOT-

One of things I like most about this blog is the opportunity to share one-of-a-kind views with you. Here are a few recent photos that show you scenes from our work site from unique vantage points.

Crews begin work early. From the project site, they often get a great view of the sunrise.

From the top of the arches that are under construction, you can see the falsework and rebar cages that will hold the concrete once it is poured.

Workers standing on the falsework give you a sense of the arches’ size.

On the south side of the project, the viaduct for the new multi-use path along Franklin Boulevard is coming along nicely. The new bridge is downstream, in the background.

Crews form and pour first concrete deck for northbound bridge

From ODOT-

In late 2011, work began on the new northbound bridge spans on both banks of the river.  The shorter of the spans, located on the north bank, is nearly complete with the recent deck pour. Here’s a step-by-step look at how the span and deck were created.



During early construction of the new bridge, temporary piles were driven into the riverbank. The piles support wood and steel faslework needed for construction in preparation for work on the bridge support columns for the north bank span. The new southbound bridge in the background shows how the columns and deck will look when completed.

With the columns complete, the falsework was built and rebar installed to create the box girder beams that support the bridge deck and connect it to the arch span over the river.

Once the beams were complete, wooden forms were built to create the deck. Above, workers install and tie steel rebar in preparation to pour the bridge deck.

Here, the newly poured deck is curing under a cover. The new deck has to cure for about two weeks to reach full strength. Before the new span will be ready for traffic, the crossbeams supporting the deck are post-tensioned using internal cables that make them even stronger.

We hope you like our behind-the-scenes photo stories. Please take a moment to ask a question, make a comment or suggest another part of our construction project you’d like to know more about.

Highlights from the naming ceremony

From ODOT-

It was a magical, sunny morning
when about 75 people gathered in the Whilamut Natural Area to celebrate the
official naming of the Whilamut Passage Bridge (pronounced WILL-a-mut). Below are just a few of the highlights from the
ceremony held on Saturday.

The
first speaker was tribal member Kevin Simmons (second from right), who
expressed gratitude and led a drum song with others, including Tribal
Councilman Jon George (third from right).

Kalapuya
Elder Esther Stutzman (far right) also spoke, saying her peoples’ spirits will
not be forgotten and that it is important to remember them publicly.



Sonny Chickering, ODOT Region 2 manager, signed the naming proclamation with a ceremonial pen created by the tribe specifically for this event. After the signing, a red-tailed hawk flew overhead, as if validating this special moment.

 

Finally,
tribal members and community volunteers unveiled the new Whilamut Passage Bridge
sign, which will soon mark the northbound Interstate 5 bridge over the
Willamette River.

A guest post by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde

From ODOT-

As we prepare for the naming ceremony this Saturday, I’m pleased to present a guest post by Reyn Leno, Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, about the significance of the name Whilamut Passage to the tribe.



We have appreciated working closely with the tribal government and its members to plan this meaningful ceremony and to shape future design enhancements that will help tell their story for generations to come.

________________________________________



The word “whilamut” is attributed to a Kalapuya pronunciation of the word Willamette. The Kalapuyas were one of the original tribes and bands in the Willamette Valley that make up today’s Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Many of our people are descendants of the Kalapuyas and they are recognized in our Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855. Willamette comes out the Chinuk Wawa language and describes the way the river riffles in some areas. Essentially it means "place where the water riffles."



Using the world “whilamut” for this new bridge acknowledges its current use of the area as a transportation crossover and thoroughfare for modern society while honoring the historic use of the area by the Kalapuya people as a village, and trade location for native peoples traveling the river. This location is a transportation passage for all humans from throughout our histories.



The Grand Ronde people who’ve inhabited the Willamette Valley since time immemorial are pleased to honor the memory of our ancestors with this special name.

- Reyn Leno, Chairman

Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde

Please join our Whilamut Passage Bridge naming ceremony

From ODOT-

I hope that you can join us, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and community volunteers to officially name the new Interstate 5 Willamette River Bridge.



The ceremony will be this Saturday at 11 a.m. in the Whilamut Natural Area, northwest of the Knickerbocker Bridge in Alton Baker Park.



The Whilamut Passage theme, developed by our Community Advisory Group, incorporates words, phrases and images that encompass the variety of users of the bridge and its surroundings — past, present and future — as well as the area’s geography. The theme continues to guide design enhancements that will be built alongside I-5 as well as in the natural area.



How to get there: On the south side of the river, park your vehicle at the University of Oregon Motor Pool, 3233 Franklin Blvd. (see map below). Please allow 20 minutes to walk to the ceremony. Follow the signs that point the way from the parking lot. A courtesy shuttle will be available upon request.

Consider arriving on bicycle. The park has many nice paths for you to ride to the event, and we will have a place designated for bicycle parking. Afterward, you can continue exploring the paths.




I look forward to seeing you there!

Whilamut Passage Bridge Naming Ceremony – you’re invited!

From ODOT-

I’m inviting everyone to join the ODOT project team, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and community volunteers to officially name the new Interstate 5 Willamette River Bridge.



The ceremony will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 29, at the Whilamut Natural Area, northwest of the Knickerbocker Bridge in Alton Baker Park. It will include brief remarks, traditional tribal presentations and an unveiling of the new Whilamut Passage Bridge highway sign.



Our citizen volunteers have worked with tribal leaders and ODOT since 2009 to officially name the Whilamut Passage Bridge. At this long-anticipated event, we will celebrate their effort and that of the tribal representatives who have been instrumental in ensuring that the area’s first people, the Kalapuya, are honored in the name and design of the new bridge and surrounding area.

How to get there: on the south side of the river, park your vehicle at the University of Oregon Motor Pool, 3233 Franklin Blvd. (see map above). Please allow 20 minutes to walk to the ceremony. Follow the signs that point the way from the parking lot. A courtesy shuttle will be available upon request.



I also encourage you to ride your bike there. The park has many nice paths for you to ride to the event and we will have a place designated for bicycle parking.



Keep your fingers crossed for sunny fall weather and I hope to see you there!