As new bridge opens, OTIA III winds down

With great

community fanfare, the Whilamut Passage Bridge opened to traffic this month With a total contract value of $204
million, it is the largest in the $1.3 billion Oregon Transportation Investment
Act III State Bridge Delivery Program, which is beginning to wind down after
repairing and replacing hundreds of Oregon bridges and making significant
contributions to the state’s economy.

Ten years
after the passage of OTIA III by the Oregon Legislature, the bridge program has
completed construction on 264 bridges; only seven bridges remain under
construction, including this I-5 Willamette River Bridge project, where crews continue
to work on the path viaduct and construction wrap-up tasks.

The bridge
program was a proactive initiative to update crucial links in the
transportation infrastructure to keep Oregon’s economy competitive and create
thousands of private-sector jobs. Many of the state’s highway bridges had been
built in the 1950s and ’60s as part of the national interstate system. Rather
than repairing each bridge as it exceeded its projected lifespan of 50 to 75
years, sought a long-term, more cost-effective solution.

The enormous scope and compressed timetable
of the bridge program required the participants to work cooperatively and think
creatively. Such conditions spurred numerous innovations in construction
techniques, environmental stewardship and community engagement.

Ultimately, the OTIA III bridge program has
been a jobs program, whether in maximizing the participation of homegrown
businesses and workers or optimizing the system on which commerce depends. In
the case of the I-5 Willamette River Bridge project, business representatives have
told us they appreciate the project’s role in creating local jobs, bringing
extra money spent by the crew members into the community, and improving the
region’s infrastructure for the long term.

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.

Behind the orange cones: the skeleton of the bridge

From ODOT-

In our latest video, crews tie together miles of rebar to form the intricate web of steel reinforcing bars that is the unseen skeleton of the entire bridge. The rebar ranges from as small as one-half inch in diameter up to 2 1/4 inches across.



For this project, we use the largest diameter rebar available, which weighs 14 pounds per linear foot. These big steel bars are so heavy that it takes several steelworkers to move them into place and tie them into the reinforcing framework that supports the bridge piers and arches.



It’s fascinating to see up-close the cages that will become the concrete columns supporting the bridge. I interviewed ODOT Quality/Quantity Coordinator Thor Alvarado about the training and experience needed to work with this heavy and intricate material.



Thor’s job is to inspect bridges under construction throughout the state. His experience is valuable on a complicated project like ours because he makes sure bridges are built properly, safely and within budget.



According to Thor, the biggest challenges of working with rebar are harsh weather and lifting the long and heavy steel bars into place. He says teamwork is important because it’s dangerous work.



Do you know what happens to the rebar if steelworkers try to bend it with a torch? Watch the video to find out!



And feel free to post your comments and questions. Your feedback is important to us.

Behind the orange cones: ties to the economy

From ODOT-

We’ve just completed our second video in an ongoing series that highlights the people behind the Interstate 5 Willamette River Bridge replacement project.



Because it’s the largest bridge replacement in ODOT’s history, this project affects a lot of people who live in and travel through Eugene and Springfield on I-5. This video shows how important the new bridges are to the local economy. I spoke with David Hauser, president of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, to get his perspective on the project’s importance to local business community. It was gratifying to hear that businesses are benefiting from the project because of the local jobs it has created and the extra money being spent by the crew members in the community.



We also show that by using the simple and well-marked detour, businesses on Franklin Boulevard are easily accessible during the two-year closure of the I-5 northbound off-ramp.



I drove it several times to capture the footage so you can see just how easy it is to reach the businesses.



Please watch the video on our YouTube channel and remember to support your local businesses during construction.

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!

A variety of columns will support the new northbound bridge

From ODOT-

As the new northbound Willamette River Bridge rises from the ground, the columns on the south bank are most visible. When finished, seven of the nine either columns or sets of columns supporting this bridge will be located on the south bank of the river.

This is a stark contrast to the original bridge, which had many more of its columns, five to be exact, in the river instead of on land. The new bridge will touch down in the river only once.

The columns are not all the same. The pictures below show various configurations.

Above, workers prepare to pour the column south of the pedestrian path. It is wide, narrow, centered under the bridge deck and poured in two separate vertical sections.

Round rebar cages from this single column, centered under the bridge deck. Crews will pour the concrete walls as one section.

Shown in the two photos above is one of the three rectangular columns being built south of the railroad, in two stages of construction. The rebar on top will connect the column to the beam that will connect it with an adjacent column. The column south of these is a single column centered under the bridge.

An additional, larger column is located further south of these columns, just before the bridge joins Interstate 5 northbound.

ODOT works with local business to maintain commerce

From ODOT-

When the Interstate 5 northbound off-ramp to Franklin Boulevard closed to traffic in October 2011, affected business owners were concerned about the detour signage. Because the detour would be in effect for two years, the business owners believed that it would be better to use signs to mark the new route as though it were the normal route, not a detour.



ODOT construction manager Karl Wieseke sprang into action as soon as he was contacted by the businesses. He convened a meeting with project and business representatives to better understand the issues. Then he arranged a driving tour so all parties could be together to see the situation and discuss solutions.



The group agreed to a plan, engineers designed new signage and the contractor quickly secured and installed the new signs. ODOT always welcomes feedback, and the local businesses expressed appreciation for ODOT’s responsiveness.

ODOT modified the signs along northbound I-5 with the exit number, changing it from 192 to 191. Nothing on the signs indicates a detour, only the appropriate exit.

Once drivers have exited I-5, signs noting the detour and listing businesses along Franklin Boulevard direct traffic north onto Glenwood Boulevard and east or west on Franklin Boulevard to reach the communities of Springfield and Eugene.

Placing beams for northbound Canoe Canal Bridge

From ODOT-

Recently, our contractor placed ten beams to support the deck of the new northbound Interstate 5 Canoe Canal Bridge. Careful timing and teamwork made it a safe and smooth process.



Local subcontractor Knife River manufactured the beams in Harrisburg. Each 180-foot beam weighs approximately 182,000 pounds. Given the size of the beams, only one at a time could be moved to the site.



Once loaded, each beam traveled south on I-5 to the Glenwood exit, crossed over the freeway and then headed back north. The truck exited the freeway on the east side and backed into position to unload the beam.

Workers prepare to unload a giant beam.

Two large cranes on either side of Canoe Canal lifted the beam, as workers on the roadway provided directions. Once all the beams are in place and secured, crews will build forms and pour the deck surface.



The new northbound Canoe Canal Bridge is scheduled for completion in July 2012.

Large cranes carefully move the beam into place.

With the beam in place, workers disconnect the cables used for lifting the beam.

Supporting the bridge columns, Part 2

From ODOT-

In our last post, I told you about using a large drill to create deep shafts for the foundation of the bridge. Here’s what happens next.



Engineers determine how deep to drill each hole based on the strength of the rock required to support the column. The average depth of the shafts for the northbound Willamette River Bridge is 35 feet, but two are as deep as 70 feet



Once the drill reaches the required depth of the shaft, a steel rebar-reinforcing cage is lowered into the hole. These cages weigh between 13,000 and 28,000 pounds.

Crews lower one of the steel rebar-reinforcing cages into the drilled shaft before filling it with concrete.

With the steel cage installed, concrete is poured into the hole and allowed to cure.

Workers pump concrete into the drilled shaft to form the shaft for the columns that will soon follow.

The process of drilling and pouring the bridge shafts take a little over three months from the time the drill is moved onto the site until all 22 shafts are drilled and poured.

Supporting the bridge columns, Part 1

From ODOT-

In addition to two graceful arches supporting the bridge, the new northbound Willamette River Bridge will have nine columns, supported by 22 drilled shafts filled with concrete, which create the foundation for the columns.



The team surveyed and staked column locations before clearing and constructing cofferdams at each site. Next, crews built platforms to accommodate a large drill rig near each cofferdam.



The drill rig can drill to a depth of 200 feet, though for this project, the average depth is 35 feet. The bit or auger attached to the drill rig varies in size, but is typically 8 feet in diameter and 6 feet long. Once the drill is positioned, the drilling takes one to two days per shaft.

The drill rig positioned beside the cofferdam is ready to drill one fo the two shafts at this site.

Initial drilling is usually through soft material, which is removed from the hole. To prevent soil from falling back into the hole, workers insert a temporary steel casing (below) before pouring the shaft.

The I-5 Willamette River Bridge: a sound investment

From ODOT-

The budget to replace the Interstate 5 Willamette River Bridge is $204 million. That makes it the largest bridge replacement project in ODOT’s history. Roughly $157 million is for construction and the remainder covers environmental assessments, traffic studies and engineering services. The new bridges, which are designed to last 100 years, provide a great return on the publics’ investment.



Most of the funds for the new bridges come from the third installment of the Oregon Transportation Investment Act, adopted by the Legislature in 2003. The OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program dedicated $1.3 billion to repair or replace hundreds of aging state highway bridges in Oregon, including the Willamette River Bridge.



Another critical part of the overall funding package is $30.2 million of federal transportation funds obtained through the efforts of U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio for the project. Federal funds provide for construction, including a portion dedicated to design enhancements for the new bridges.



Besides improving our transportation infrastructure, highway and bridge construction supports local jobs. Did you know that every $1 million invested in transportation construction sustains about 11 family-wage jobs? There are more than 50 contractors and subcontractors working on the Willamette River Bridge project from Oregon and southwest Washington. The majority of the subcontractors are from Lane County and the surrounding area.

Exploring possibilities for the south bank

From ODOT-

Citizen volunteers, along with representatives of ODOT, Hamilton Construction and Cameron McCarthy Landscape Architecture and Planning, recently toured the south bank of the Willamette River, just west of current bridge construction. The purpose of the tour was to better understand potential opportunities to combine required interpretive displays about the historic Eugene millrace and tribal heritage with additional design enhancements planned for the area.



What the group discovered are some great viewing locations where you can see the river, the historic Eugene millrace ruins and the freeway bridge. They also gained a greater appreciation and understanding of the existing natural environment and how landscaping plans will complement it with native plants. Several important opportunity areas were identified along with a list of potential enhancements. A key focus is to enhance the experience of those who will use the new south bank viaduct path in the future.

Plans are now under way to select the best locations, integrate interpretive displays with potential new design enhancements, and install the improvements in early 2014 when bridge construction is complete.

A nod to the bridge designers

From ODOT-

We have talked a lot about the construction of the new Interstate 5 Willamette River Bridge, but who is responsible for designing and engineering this graceful and significant structure?



The design team is led by OBEC Consulting Engineers, based in Eugene.



OBEC was created in 1966 as the design arm of Hamilton Construction, our main builder for this project. OBEC, then known as Oregon Bridge Engineering Company, and Hamilton originally performed design-build work for the timber industry. OBEC later separated from Hamilton in order to pursue a wider range of projects.



OBEC has engineered many bridges in the Eugene-Springfield area, including the structures in the Beltline Highway project, the Ferry Street Bridge project, the DeFazio Bridge, the Delta Ponds Pedestrian Bridge and the I-5 Gateway Pedestrian Bridge. OBEC also worked on the McKenzie River (Spores) to Goshen Grade project to repair two and replace five bridges between Coburg and Creswell.



To design the large Willamette River Bridge, OBEC teamed with 18 subcontractors, all but one of which is based in Oregon. They ranged from transportation planners and landscape architects to public involvement, geology, archaeology and environmental experts.



While their work on the major bridge design is largely complete, OBEC continues to participate in the design enhancement process and on any design or engineering refinements that need to be made during construction.

A new blogger joins the team

From ODOT-

I hope everyone is able to get out and enjoy the sunshine today.



I’d like to welcome a new blogger to our team, Jim Cox, who has taken over for Ray Mabey as overall project manager for the I-5 Willamette River Bridge project. Ray has moved to another assignment within ODOT; we appreciate all of the accomplishments that were made under his leadership.



Jim is assistant branch manager for ODOT’s Major Projects Branch, where he has worked for the past seven years. He had a leading role on the environmental assessment of the Interstate 5 Willamette River Bridge project that was completed in 2009. He also played a crucial role during our process to hire the contracting team, by evaluating proposals and negotiating the contract.



Jim has consistently served as the champion of ODOT’s Context Sensitive and Sustainable Solutions initiative to improve the state transportation infrastructure while instilling a socially and environmentally responsible culture of sustainability.



Welcome Jim!

Visit our revamped website

From ODOT-

If you haven’t visited our website recently, I encourage you to take a look: www.willamettebridge.org. We’ve made it easier to navigate and find information. And new content on the homepage gives you even more options to keep up on the bridge project.





If you want to learn more about why the bridge is being replaced, efforts to protect the environment or to read the quarterly newsletter, you’ll find that and more. Using the top navigation bar you can find overview information, the project library and other resources.



The construction information is updated weekly, outlining the latest traffic changes, detours or delays. Boaters will find information on the correct river channel to use when navigating past the project. Park visitors will find tips on using the pedestrian paths in the project area. You can also get updates on design enhancements for the parks and surrounding areas.



We’ve added links to the latest blogs and ODOT’s Twitter feed.



People use many different media today to access information. Our revamped website gives you a quick resource to a broad array of online tools.



Try it out and let us know what you think.

Local contractor builds a bridge and much more

From ODOT- Hamilton Construction, headquartered in Springfield, Ore., manages the construction of the new Willamette River Bridge for ODOT.



Hamilton is one of the many Oregon construction firms that have successfully bid on bridge projects funded by the Oregon Transportation Investment Act III.



Other OTIA III projects Hamilton has built for ODOT in Lane County include replacing the Interstate 5 McKenzie River bridges and several new bridges at the I-5 Goshen Interchange. They also worked on three additional projects further south on I-5. Hamilton is currently working on another complex OTIA III bridge project over the Sandy River on I-84 in Troutdale.



One of the unique things Hamilton has done for the Willamette River Bridge project was to develop an in-water device called a “bubbleator” to minimize the impact on fish by the vibrations caused by pile driving. For the Sandy River Bridge, they are innovating methods to minimize the risk of flooding by reducing the amount of piers in the river and removing woody debris.



A key goal of the OTIA III program is to stimulate Oregon’s economy through construction work, especially at the local level. For a project as large as this one, Hamilton coordinates more than 40 subcontractors that provide key services and supplies, all timed to meet a demanding schedule. Like Hamilton, the majority of the subcontractors are from the nearby area.



Founded in 1939 to build concrete roads and irrigation systems, Hamilton now specializes in building highway and railroad bridges throughout the western U.S., especially those over bodies of water or with difficult access.



With more than 70 years’ experience, Hamilton is a partner ODOT can count on to build a project as complex as the Willamette River Bridge and to help meet the overall goals of the OTIA III program.

Whilamut Passage design enhancements will grace the Willamette River bridges

From ODOT-

As part of the Willamette River Bridge project, ODOT is working with Pacific Northwest artists to create enhancements near pedestrian paths on the north and south banks of the Willamette River and along Interstate 5 near the bridges.

The enhancements will follow the Whilamut Passage theme, to reflect an intersection in time, a confluence and a crossing. The Whilamut Passage theme will incorporate words, phrases and images that encompass the variety of users—past, present and future—as well as the area’s geography.

Fourteen artists proposed and a volunteer selection committee selected five finalists whose proposals reflect the Whilamut Passage theme. The artists are all based in the Pacific Northwest: Adam McIsaac and Travis Mercier, rhiza Architecture + Design, Lillian Pitt, Devin Laurence Field, and Eutectica Design.

Examples of public art and enhancements by these teams can be found in Bend, Corvallis, Eugene, Springfield, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Portland and across the border in Washington. Some of the materials used by these artists in other communities include wood, concrete, stainless steel, and bronze.

The Community Advisory Group will make a recommendation to ODOT’s design team on a finalist from the proposed designs in late April. Once selected, the artist will complete the design and engineering for bidding and installation.

According to the current design enhancement schedule, you will start to see the enhancements in the fall of 2013 or spring 2014, after both bridges have been completed.

Look for information in the near future about a public open house in Eugene the first week of April when all five finalists will present their proposed designs.

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.

Views from the I-5 Willamette River Bridge project

From ODOT- I thought it would be nice to share with you some of the lesser seen sights around the bridge project. I particularly like the icicles hanging from the falsework for the new bridge arches. ODOT and its contractors work in all kinds of weather to get the job done.

A squirrel explores along the new sound wall near the Laurel Hill Valley nieghoborhood that helps protect nearby homes from freeway noise.

A worker in a basket crane puts final touches on teh columns that will support the I-5 southbound bridge.

A steelworker guides one of the temporary beams inot place that are used to build thenew birdges over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks at the south end of the project. Note that he's wearing a special harness attached to the steel beam that protects him in case of a fall.

Get a backstage look at the bridge construction

From ODOT- Most of us are fascinated by large highway construction projects. We crane our necks as we pass by, but how often do we get to see what is happening close-up?

The Willamette River Bridge project provides a unique opportunity to peek at changes from roadways or park paths. But even better, you can learn about the project and see it close up by taking advantage of a monthly tour.

Last year, students, senior citizens, business leaders, neighbors, elected officials and out-of-town visitors toured and learned more about one of the Oregon Department of Transportation's largest bridge projects.

Visitors have commented on the complexity of the project, the amount of steel and concrete needed, the skill of those working on the project, and the team's focus on protecting and enhancing the environment around the bridge.

Construction will continue late into 2013. Please take the opportunity for a tour and gain a better appreciation of the success being achieved on a very complex project. To sign up for a tour, call John Lively at (541) 484-7052, or e-mail John@cawood.com.