A beautiful day for the Whilamut Passage Bridge

Friday was a

special day for villa and our communities of Eugene and Springfield. After 10
years of hard work from our all-star contractors and consultants, we were
pleased to celebrate a job well done on the Whilamut Passage Bridge. In a few
weeks, this landmark project will open to traffic. But last week, honored
dignitaries from around the state and nation gathered with us to speak to all
the hard work that went into making this project a success.

Kalapuya Elder Esther Stutzman (fifth from left) was joined by her family and members of The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde in a ceremonial song.

Please join our celebration and bridge walking tour on Thursday!

From ODOT-

The new southbound bridge will open to traffic by the end of the month. We are celebrating the halfway point of this exciting project and would love to meet our neighbors, who have been so supportive through it all.

Please join us on the work bridge at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 18. U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, state Rep. Terry Beyer, ODOT managers, local elected officials and other distinguished guests will be there to celebrate the significance this bridge replacement has to the region.

Don’t miss a once-in-a-lifetime experience to walk across the southbound I-5 bridge before it opens to traffic. We’ll provide a guided walking tour of the bridge, after the official ceremony. You’ll be able to enjoy the views from the new I-5 bridge at a slower pace rather than at highway speeds.

Because the walking tour will be in an active work zone, we ask that you be prepared for some physical challenges and take necessary safety precautions.

• The walking tour distance traveled will be about one mile and is expected to take one hour.


• You must be physically able to walk unassisted up a steep, rocky slope from the work bridge to the top of the new bridge. 


• We will walk the span of the new bridge and down a construction staircase to the South Bank Path. The staircase is five flights, or about 50 feet high.


• You MUST wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes, and pants are recommended. This is due to walking on rocky terrain, through an active work area, and on the tall, open staircase.

Parking is available at the University of Oregon Motor Pool at 3233 Franklin Blvd. Bicycle parking is also there, but please bring your own lock. Allow 20 minutes to walk to the celebration on the work bridge, or a shuttle will carry those who need it.

See you Thursday morning!

You’re invited to the southbound bridge opening

From ODOT-

It’s been two years since we dug golden shovels into the ground to commemorate the start of construction for this momentous project, and we are now ready to celebrate a huge milestone — the opening of the new southbound Interstate 5 bridge.



Please join us in celebration at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, at the Willamette River Bridge.



U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, local elected officials and other distinguished guests will be there. After a brief ceremony, you’ll have the opportunity to tour the bridge — including a walk on the new bridge deck — before it opens to traffic in late August.



Our construction staff will conduct the tours. To join a tour, you will need to wear closed-toe shoes and plan on walking for about one hour.



The ceremony is on the work bridge located under the new bridge. Parking is available at the University of Oregon Motor Pool at 3233 Franklin Blvd. (see map below). Please allow 20 minutes to walk to the ceremony by following the signs. A courtesy shuttle will be available upon request at the lot.