Construction under way on new south riverbank path

From ODOT-

Work is under way on the new pedestrian path viaduct on the south bank of the Willamette River along Franklin Boulevard, east of the Interstate 5 bridge.



The new path will run from Glenwood Boulevard on the east side of I-5 to Knickerbocker Bridge on the west. The path work, begun in September, is scheduled to be complete in early 2014.

This view is looking west from upstream of the new I-5 bridge.

Part of the new path is being constructed above the riverbank on a viaduct that uses beams salvaged from the old temporary Willamette River Bridge.  

Crews first drove temporary steel piles along the riverbank to support work platforms used to drill the shafts and construct the columns for the path viaduct. Franklin Boulevard is at the left.

Here is one of 12 work platforms built on the riverbank to support heavy equipment.

On the left, a crane places a rebar cage into a completed shaft in preparation for pouring concrete for the first viaduct pier. On the right, a drill rig is readied to drill the next shaft.

The new path begins east of Knickerbocker Bridge near where the old south bank path was previously located.  A temporary path detour allowed construction crews to complete a streambed enhancement project and build the new pathway.

Straight ahead is the route of the new path east of Knickerbocker Bridge. The temporary path on the right diverted users away from ongoing construction work.