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!

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.

Tree wall shields park users of freeway noise

From ODOT-

Original plans for the Willamette River Bridge included removal of existing trees west of Interstate 5 and north of the bridge. Early on, local community stakeholders identified the importance of preserving these trees, which shield park users from the noise of the freeway.

We took the stakeholder's interest seriously. The best solution turned out to be a tree wall along the west side of the southbound I-5 lanes just before the bridge. The wall preserves the trees and provides an edge for the widened southbound lanes without increasing the width of the embankment impacting the trees.

For more information on additional environmental measures we're taking with the I-5 Willamette River Bridge, check out this article from HubDOT, written by ODOT environmental program manager Geoff Crook: Bringing new life to the Willamette River Bridge.

Below is a picture of the now completed wall being constructed.

Sound wall work along I-5 southbound on-ramp

From ODOT-

Timelines on a construction project are based on many factors, including scheduling work to limit mobility impacts that may be required. We focus on providing notice of potential delays, alternatives available and how long the changes will be in place.

Earlier this week, a comment was posted regarding completion of the sound wall along I-5 southbound on-ramp from Franklin Boulevard. The on-ramp was closed on June 21 of this year with an expected re-opening date of November 30. The opening date is now slated for December 30. By extending the date, we can complete the new sound wall adjacent to the Laurel Hill Valley neighborhood during this construction season. We are now installing the block for the wall. Finishing touches, including landscaping, will occur later this year or early next year. See my comment on the July 21- Ramps and Walls post for more details

Completion of the sound wall and re-opening of the on-ramp is something we at ODOT look forward to along with, I am sure, all those who live in the Laurel Hill Valley neighborhood.

Saving time and money

From ODOT-

The Willamette River Bridge project is ODOT's largest bridge replacement project to date. We work closely with our contractor to find opportunities to save time and money, while constructing a bridge designed to last 100 years.

Recently, we agreed to purchase steel ahead of schedule to start building the second work bridge a year earlier than originally planned. This allows us to complete some work before this year's in-water work windows ends. For this project working in the river is restricted to windows of time between July and October and the month of April in order to protect endangered and sensitive species in the Willamette River.

Early completion of the work bridge means the contractor can dismantle the detour bridge and do other preparatory work on the northbound Interstate 5 bridge at least six months earlier than originally expected. Saving time helps to save money.

~Jyll

Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-Minnesota) visits

From ODOT-

On Wednesday, Sept. 8, Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-Minnesota), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, arrived in style thanks to Emerald City Rickshaw for a quick site tour of the Willamette River Bridge project.

"It's significance to the national economy--three percent of our gross domestic product passes over this 2,000 mile roadway. And this critical link that is what makes a difference," said Oberstar.

Oberstar was in town as part of a tour of the Pacific Northwest to view stimulus-funded projects, push for job creation through infrastructure spending and gather support for the reauthorization of the transportation bill.

A year ago today...

From ODOT-

A year ago today, we broke ground for this project. Thinking back to that day and looking at where the project is today, all I can say is "Wow!" The construction team has done amazing work.

With golden shovels flashing in the August sun, transportation advocates U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio helped ODOT Director Matt Garrett and a number of local officials break ground to begin construction on the Willamette River Bridge.

Today it was fitting for ODOT to host a tour with local state elected representatives. The representatives learned about stream enhancement, river protection and safety around the project and the process of building the bridge.

I encourage you to take a tour of the project. Tours are regularly scheduled on the second Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. Tours are limited to a maximum of 15 participants. Sign-up in advance is required by contacting John Lively at (541) 484-7052.

~ JyllOfficials being briefed on stream enhancements and Mill Race ruins aspart of the WRB project.

Director Garrett, Senator Chris Edwards and other officials looking south towards columns and construction around Franklin Boulevard.

Construction activity over Franklin Blvd.

From ODOT-
If you are like me, driving through a construction zone always puts me on alert, not only am I wanting to look to see what work is taking place but also watching for lane changes, workers in or near the roadway and equipment. If you travel on Franklin Boulevard as it passes under Interstate 5, you've noticed a lot of activity.

In recent weeks, work crews have closed at least one lane in each direction, driven pile in the middle of the roadway to support bridge falsework, and erected and poured bridge piers on either side of the roadway. All of this activity is taking place while traffic continues to move between Eugene and Springfield.

As construction progresses, watch for future lane closures and shifts when construction actually begins on the bridge overhead. At times it might feel more like going through a tunnel than under a bridge, but traffic will always move between the two cities, with minimal delays.

Please be alert to the ongoing activity on the new Willamette River Bridge as it passes over Franklin Boulevard.

~Jyll

Ramps and walls

From ODOT-

I know people are pleased that the I-5 northbound off-ramp to Franklin Blvd. has reopened. Now, the I-5 southbound on-ramp from Franklin Blvd. is closed through November 30. Glenwood Blvd. remains the detour route.

Rather than close the southbound on-ramp multiple times over the next two years, we decided to close it once for 18 to 20 weeks. During that time, we'll rebuild the ramp to align it with the new southbound bridge, which is higher than the I-5 Willamette River Bridge that it is replacing.

As you have driven through the area, you may have noticed additional work west of the ramp; we are building a sound wall. Over the past year, we spoke with Laurel Hill Valley residents and other community members about the sound wall's design. We also discussed enhancements that would help it blend into the neighborhood. In addition to mitigating traffic noise from the ramp and I-5, the wall has many improvements over our standard design.

I encourage you to check the blog and follow us on Twitter (@OregonDOT) for updates for the date when the reamp will re-open.

~ Jyll

Pouring a column

From ODOT- Pictures from the project.

Pouring a column.

Base of an arch.

Boating and floating safely around the bridge project

From ODOT-
The hot weather has arrived!! Earlier today I started seeing people floating down the Willamette River to cool off.

I have floated and canoed the Willamette River in years past as I’m sure many of you have as well. You are accustomed to navigating the Willamette River near the I-5 bridge but what you may not know is that the construction has limited the channel you can safely use in the construction area. The Willamette River Bridge project was designed and is being constructed to keep a river channel open throughout construction.

Our contractor built a workbridge over the Willamette to protect the river from construction debris and to provide a work platform. The pilings to support the bridge have restricted the river to one channel through the construction zone. Always stay to the north side of the river, avoiding the channel near the south bank. Signs posted at ramps and in the river will direct you to the safest channel. For your safety, please obey the signs.

Enjoy the wonderful days of summer, use the river safely and check out our project as you go by.

~Jyll

Web cast and PSA launched

Summer seems to have finally arrived! The timing is great as we have just launched our second Web cast showing you the construction work that is underway and what to expect this year. After viewing the Web cast, as you walk, run or bike through the Whilamut Natural Area, you will have a better sense of the activity you are seeing.

Please also remember to be careful on the path detours and obey the flaggers. We’ve created a Public Service Announcement to alert path users of the importance of obeying flaggers. I encourage you to share this with others who enjoy the paths.

From ODOT-
I don’t know about you but I’m excited to see the sun is out and the temperatures are starting to climb. For many people, me included, that means getting outside more to enjoy the parks and wilderness in Oregon.

As you are probably aware, the Knickerbocker Bridge provides a great vantage point of the construction of the new Willamette River Bridge. If you are like me, you are curious to know more about what the construction crews are doing. With those two items in mind, we installed two informational signs where the bridge is wider for the benches. These signs will tell you a bit about what construction is currently occurring. I hope you will find the new signs helpful.

~Jyll

Congratulations to Hamilton Construction for reaching a safety milestone!

From ODOT- Safety is a major focus for all of us at ODOT and our contractors. On our Willamette River Bridge project, Hamilton Construction just celebrated a significant safety milestone with more than 50,000 person-hours worked without a significant injury or accident. For a project expected to take over 400,000 person-hours, current experience says a lot about the projects focus on safety.

Hamilton celebrated with a catered barbecue lunch for all its employees in Springfield’s Island Park. They also provide employees with gift cards. In addition, Hamilton makes a gift to a local non-profit organization when its crews reach safety milestones.

Hamilton presented a $2,500 check to Northwest Youth Corps which is a local non-profit located near the project in the Laurel Hill Valley neighborhood of Eugene. Northwest Youth Corps operates an accredited, alternative high school. It also employs over 1,000 young people, aged 16 to 19, performing outdoor work such as construction and maintenance of hiking trails, bridges, retaining walls, and campgrounds.

From my vantage point, Hamilton demonstrates the quality of company and the project it is managing by its willingness to take the time to recognize employees for their important role in creating a safe work environment and to make a contribution to Northwest Youth Corps.

Please join me in congratulating Hamilton and its employees for their focus on safety and giving back to our community.

~Jyll Smith, Public Affairs for ODOT

Everybody likes watching big things being built.

From ODOT-
Now’s a perfect time to go see the construction of the new I-5 Willamette River Bridge. A great spot to watch the work is from the Knickerbocker pedestrian and bike bridge in Alton Baker Park.

Right now, installation of the bridge arch “falsework” is starting on the north bank of the Willamette River. Falsework is the temporary steel and wooden structures used to form the bridge arches. After the falsework is completely framed, steel reinforcing bars—called rebar—will be inserted and tied together to strengthen the arches before workers begin pouring concrete to form them.

Contractors will pump high-strength concrete into the bridge falsework from large trucks. Later, once the concrete hardens, the falsework will be removed, revealing the new bridge arches for the first time. The falsework for the first set of arches is scheduled to be removed around August.

The falsework is visible from several vantage points, but the Knickerbocker Bridge provides the best vantage point. There you have a perfect view of the construction work on the new Willamette River Bridge. You can return often to watch how construction goes and see the arches take form. Binoculars can give you a close-up view of the work.

Enjoy your next visit.

~Dick Upton