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!

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.

South bank stream restoration takes advantage of the dry season

From ODOT-

During the summer, the waterways on the south bank of the Willamette River near the bridge construction zone are barely visible.



That makes summer the perfect time to restore and enhance the stream located between the south bank pedestrian path and the river. The improved stream will better collect and cleanse runoff flowing into the river during the rainy months. It will enhance fish habitat and migration, too.





Workers are clearing out overgrowth and creating a new stream channel along the south bank of the Willamette River.



The stream has been flowing through concrete pipes and an overgrown open channel. Fish were having a tough time using the stream, so we installed a temporary fish ladder earlier this year to help fish migrate from the river to Laurel Hill Valley and other points to the south. When stream restoration is complete, the temporary fish ladder will be removed because it will no longer be needed.



We’re clearing brush and other material to create an open channel. Large boulders are being installed along the banks and in the streambed to protect the new drainage and create habitat for stream life. We’ll soon install native plants to help protect the banks from erosion during the winter and provide cooling shade in the summer.





Workers are installing large boulders and rocks in the streambed and making other enhancements to improve riparian habitat.



The new, improved streambed contrasts sharply with the old culvert pipes upstream. The pipes will be removed to improve flow of runoff and restore the drainage to a more natural state.

We’ll continue the restoration and enhancement work farther south to restore wetlands and the upland stream system, resulting in a more natural setting that can better support fish and wildlife habitat.



All the work on the south bank will be finished in early 2014. Just in time for the wettest winter months.

Changes coming for the south bank path

From ODOT-

You’ve read about a lot of changes to the paths in park recently, and we have one more to report to you, this time on the south bank. This change brings us one step closer to the beautiful new viaduct path.



We’ve built another detour path, about 100 yards long, to accommodate east-west commuters while we build the new viaduct path. We’ll remove a portion of the existing path for this work, which clears the way for restoration work on the stream flowing from Glenwood and the Laurel Hill Valley.

During construction, the new path to the right will route bicyclists and pedestrians to the south so crews will have space to construct the new viaduct path.

We will remove a portion of the existing path to allow us to elevate and replace the path over the stream. Work on the stream restoration can be seen on the left side.

Starting in September, we will build columns for the new viaduct path along this embankment on the north side of Franklin Boulevard and east of the construction work bridge. The finished path will be elevated above the river.

By early 2014, the pedestrian paths on the south bank of the Willamette River under the new Interstate 5 bridges will look much different.

This rendering by Cameron McCathy Landscape Architecture and Planning depicts the completed viaduct path under the new Willamette River Bridges.