The first shaft for the viaduct path is under construction.

From ODOT-  By early 2014, improvements to the park paths near the new Willamette River Bridges will be complete.  The most significant change, a new viaduct path on the south bank of the Willamette River, will replace the current path that connects to the south side of Franklin Boulevard, east of the bridges.



Bridge beams reused from the Interstate 5 detour bridge will provide a structure for the realigned path.  The beams will be supported by 14 individual bridge columns spaced along the riverbank.  Rebar and concrete will fill drilled shafts to a depth of at least 10 feet into the bedrock.



We've recently taken the first step in constructing the viaduct, by drilling a shaft beneath the new northbound bridge.  This had to occur now, because the drilling equipment is too tall to fit under the new northbound bridge once it is built.  This may be the only work we do on the viaduct path until this fall.

As you can see, the drill is taller than the new southbound bridge and would not have fit under the soon-to-be-built northbound freeway bridge.

Here, workers line up equipment to place the steel retainer ring, which will prevent dirt and rock from falling back into the drilled shaft.

New paths will feature safety improvements.

From ODOT-

ODOT is working closely with the cities of Eugene and Springfield to enhance and improve safety on pedestrian paths along the banks of the Willamette River near the new Interstate 5 bridges. Some changes are already in place but most will be finished in late 2013 or early 2014.



Crews have repaved and striped the Canoe Canal Path and the paved paths on the north and south banks of the river under the bridges. They are also minimizing dangerous corners and intersections and eliminating a large drop in the path on the north end of the Knickerbocker Bridge. Path users will see new landscaping, including native species of trees, shrubs, flowers and prairie grass. A new path on the south bank of the river will link existing routes and provide great views of the river. It will start east of the Knickerbocker Bridge, follow the riverbank under the I-5 bridges and connect to Franklin Boulevard. The city of Springfield plans to extend this new path to the intersection of Glenwood Boulevard and Franklin Boulevard.



We enjoy working with local partners to make these path improvements for the benefit of users for years to come.

New pedestrian path on south bank of the Willamette River

This picture shows the route for the new path on the south side of Franklin Boulevard.

From ODOT- Construction crews are preparing the south bank of the Willamette River under the vicinity of Interstate 5 for a new pedestrian path set to open in spring 2014. ODOT is building the path in cooperation with the cities of Eugene and Springfield.

This direct, safer route for pedestrians and bike riders will start east of the Knickerbocker Bridge and run along the riverbank until it joins a new path constructed by the city of Springfield along Franklin Boulevard.

This will be no ordinary path. Beams saved from the recently demolished temporary I-5 detour bridge over the Willamette River will be supported by concrete columns to create a viaduct that will offer great views of the river and new bridges.

The city of Springfield will continue the new path to the intersection of Franklin Boulevard and Glenwood Boulevard. Traffic signals will make the intersection safer for path users crossing Franklin Boulevard. Eastbound bike riders will share a wide sidewalk with pedestrians, and westbound cyclists will use a path on the south side of Franklin Boulevard.

We are very excited about these improvements!

The 3 R’s for Willamette River Bridge: Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle

From ODOT-

Dismantling the temporary bridge over the Willamette River is ahead of schedule.

We are recycling or reusing a significant amount of material from the temporary detour bridge, saving money and reducing the project’s waste stream.

With the asphalt deck pavement removed, crews separate the support beams and lift each to the top of the bridge and load them on trucks for transport to an offsite area until they can be reused on other highway or local agency projects.

ODOT’s contractor, Hamilton Construction, will reuse 50 concrete beams from the temporary bridge to build a new viaduct and pedestrian path along the south bank of the river. Currently, 174* additional beams are slated to go in projects throughout Lane County and other parts of the state. In the end, nearly 70 percent of the 326 beams from the temporary bridge will find a home in this or another highway project.

The beams that are not identified for reuse in bridge projects are sawed in to smaller lengths and will be hauled off site and find uses such as retaining walls.

The concrete columns and cross beams are broken apart and the aggregates and reinforcing steel are separated and will be recycled or reused. We break up the concrete with hammers that run on all-natural canola oil, which reduces the risk of river contamination in case of a spill.

Most of the temporary detour bridge will be gone by the end of December. Then we’ll start building the footings and arches for the new northbound bridge.

*Corrected from 224.

Preserving the Historic Eugene Millrace

From ODOT- Building a bridge located between two communities and natural areas is quite a challenge. For the Willamette River Bridge project, an additional challenge is avoiding impacts to the historic Eugene millrace.

Some remnants of the Eugene millrace can be seen in the river east of the bridge. Portions of the channel are visible under the bridge and along the river on the south bank. Seeing any remains on the river bank is difficult due to vegetation.

Before building the new southbound bridge, we mapped the remnants of the old millrace and made plans to avoid damage and restore any areas affected by construction. We hired a historian to document the millrace; this information will be incorporated into an interpretative display on the south bank.

From the time the millrace was first constructed in 1851 by Hilyard Shaw, it supported economic development and recreation in Eugene. Water from the millrace provided power for lumber and flour mills, a produce cannery, sash and door factory, cider and vinegar plant, furniture factory, a distillery and other facilities. Recreational uses included boating and floating parades in the summer and ice skating when frozen in the winter. Some well-kown University of Oregon student activities took place on the millrace. The millrace was last used for manufacturing around 1928. Floods in the 1940's destroyed much of the original structure, diminishing any long-term use.

I've enjoyed learning more about the history and significance of the Eugene Millrace. We look forward to adding to the historical record through a display for those who visit. The next time you are on the south bank path, look toward the river, and you will likely see some of the milrace ruins.

Work Continues on Park Design Enhancements

From ODOT- Located above a pristine natural area with major pedestrian paths connecting Eugene and Springfield, the Willamette River Bridge project is located in a unique setting.

We have hired teams of artists to design enhancements that will improve areas near the pedestrian paths on the north and south banks of the river. The teams will finalize their designs this year. This is the latest step in years of planning to make sure the final bridge project fits in with its unique surroundings.

The most extensive enhancements will be in the Whilamut Natural Area. They will be located along the park paths under Interstate 5 at Canoe Canal, on the north bank of the river and throughout the area just west of the bridges. Working with local stakeholders to better understand long-term maintenance issues, the artist team for this area will refine their initial concepts for approval.

On the south bank, ODOT and the Design Enhancement Steering Committee members have decided to take another look at how best to use the limited space. The original design concepts were based on plans that have since changed, particularly those related to the realignment of the path on the south bank. In addition, we now know more about the required interpretative displays detailing the historic Eugene Millrace and the history of the Kalapuya Tribe’s use of the area. Integrating those displays with other enhancements makes sense and will result in a better experience for path users. The DESC will clarify the impact of the changes and make recommendations on how to proceed.

One thing is certain; the design enhancements will make using these paths even more enjoyable.

http://www.willamettebridge.org

Cities, Parks and ODOT work collaboratively to improve the park path experience

From ODOT-

As the ODOT Area Manager for Lane County, and one of the managers assigned to the WRB project, I have been working with parks stakeholders and the cities of Eugene and Springfield to improve the extensive network of park paths that pass under and around the new I-5 bridges.

Many cyclists, walkers and runners in Eugene and Springfield benefit from connections the existing paths make between the two cities. The WRB project is, however, providing a perfect opportunity to implement changes and additions to the system that will make the park path experience safer, and more convenient.

One of the planned improvements is to create a new viaduct path, built with beams recycled from the I-5 detour bridge, along the south bank of the Willamette River, and the north side of Franklin Boulevard. The existing South Bank Path that crosses under Franklin Boulevard will be abandoned and removed so that the area can be replanted and restored to a more natural state.

Look for the viaduct path to open late in 2013 or in early 2014 when the Willamette River Bridge replacements and all park improvements are complete. Construction of the viaduct path is a joint effort between ODOT and the City of Springfield.

In addition, we will be resurfacing all paths near the project, and will rebuild the intersection of the North Bank Path and the Knickerbocker Bridge to eliminate the steep transition between the two. I am excited about all of these planned improvements, and believe you will be as well.