Team spirit

From ODOT-

The first of three design enhancements that will highlight the new bridges is almost complete. Lillian Pitt’s “River” depicts in glossy stainless steel a canoe, waves, reeds, a crescent moon and fish. These elements were all central to the life of the Kalapuya people, Native Americans who lived in the Willamette Valley before Europeans arrived. “River” will soon be joined by “Camas Basket,” by rhiza A+D, and Devin Laurence Field’s “Blue Camas Basket”; all are Oregon artists.

The design enhancements exist because of the community volunteers who made up the Citizens Advisory Group and Design Enhancements Steering Committee.

I have had the great fortune of working mainly with the DESC, a group of talented and passionate people who understand this community and love this place. A few are artists themselves and skillfully assessed elements that would complement what is beautiful about the location. Other members knew a lot about the Kalapuya tribal heritage, which became the theme of the design enhancements.

The work of the DESC continues beyond the completion of the bridge construction: interpretive signage, seating and landscaping elements, and a native prairie restoration project. 

Goodwill and great results arise when people from all walks of life cooperate toward a communal goal. I am in awe of the skills and passion of these volunteers, who continue to donate their time because they care about where they live.

CAG member David Sonnichsen published his take on the design enhancements in an op-ed that ran today in the Eugene Register-Guard:

http://registerguard.com/rg/opinion/30169430-78/bridge-river-pitt-oregon-kalapuya.html.csp

Community celebration to mark opening of new I-5 Whilamut Passage Bridge

From ODOT-

On
Saturday, Aug. 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., ODOT will host a special community
celebration to commemorate the opening of the new Interstate 5 Whilamut Passage
Bridge to traffic.

Mark
your calendar, because this family-friendly celebration will be the last
opportunity for people age 16 and older to walk on the new northbound I-5
bridge over the Willamette River before it opens to traffic. People wanting to
access the bridge need to wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and be able to climb
six flights of stairs.

We’re
also offering a self-guided tour under and around the bridge that’s open to all
ages, where you can take in the park improvements to the beautiful Whilamut
Natural Area, check out the project design enhancements that reflect the area
history, culture and community values, and meet project officials, design
enhancement teams and community volunteers. Be sure to stop by and say hello — some
of the folks who contribute to this blog will be there; look for the bright red
T-shirts.

Thanks
to the Eugene-Springfield community’s partnership we’ve built a functional and
beautiful bridge and improved the surrounding parklands. We couldn’t be happier
with the outcome.

The
Whilamut Passage Bridge community celebration will be held north of the
Knickerbocker Bridge, in the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park.

Looking
forward to seeing you there!

Community Advisory Group helped us build a bridge with lasting legacy

From ODOT-

The
soon-to-be-open Whilamut Passage Bridge is a tribute to the designers,
builders, project managers, volunteer community members and officials who
worked together to make it a success. 

Before
construction began, ODOT promised to incorporate community values and ideas
into the bridge design, and to leave the project area in better shape than
before construction began.  

The
project’s Community Advisory Group has been integral to our accomplishing this
goal. They have been meeting since 2007 and just held their final meeting.  

Members
have included representatives from local neighborhoods, recreation groups,
local artists, architects, the University of Oregon and the Citizen Planning
Committee for the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park and Eastgate
Woodlands. The group functions in an advisory role and provides recommendations
to a multi-agency project development team, which then makes recommendations to
ODOT. 

The
CAG participated in important decisions such as the deck-arch design of the new
bridge, community involvement activities and the selection of design
enhancements. Members volunteered over 1,300 hours in meetings, open houses and
countless other community activities. 

“The
Community Advisory Group has been a valuable partner in helping ODOT address
community concerns and build a project that reflects the history and culture of
the area,” said Karl Wieseke, ODOT project manager.  

“Thanks
to the work of CAG members, this $204 million bridge replacement project has
maintained strong public interest in and support for good design that
complements the surrounding parks and Whilamut Natural Area. Their efforts and
advocacy for excellence will have a lasting impact for decades to come,”
Wieseke said.

Students help preserve local history

From ODOT-

Recently, students from four local elementary
schools have helped us preserve some local history in time capsules that will
be sealed inside the new Whilamut Passage Bridge for the next 75 to 100 years.

Crews will place the time capsules inside the
base of the bridge’s arches later this summer, where they will remain safe and
dry until they are recovered at the end of the bridge’s life.





We thought a time capsule would be a great
way to involve children in a major transportation project and help them learn
how a bridge is built.

Hamilton project managers offered classroom
visits and site tours to participating schools: Buena Vista Elementary in
Eugene, Maple Elementary in Springfield, Lundy Elementary in Lowell and the
Eugene Christian School.

“We wanted to provide a learning opportunity
and maybe even spark interest in a career in engineering, architecture or
construction,” said Con O’Connor, Hamilton construction manager.

Students in the Maple Elementary Talented and
Gifted program impressed the team visiting that school. One student talked
about Andrew Carnegie and the first steel bridge, while another explained how
steel rebar and concrete work together to provide stability.

At Lundy Elementary, sixth graders engineered
and built their own model bridges. One model bridge – built from toothpicks and
glue – withstood 250 pounds and will be included in Lundy’s time capsule.

“We are so glad we could get children
involved,” said ODOT Project Manager Karl Wieseke. “Long after they grow up,
they’ll have a special connection to this beautiful bridge.”

This
toothpick bridge built by Lundy Elementary sixth graders will be one of many
included in the time capsule.

 

Please join us for a community celebration

From ODOT-

It’s
hard to believe that the new Whilamut Passage Bridge is opening in August!

We’ve
scheduled two upcoming events to commemorate this occasion and hope you can
join us: 

Opening
ceremony with U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio: 10 a.m., Friday, July 26



Community celebration and bridge
walk: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 3

A brief ceremony will start at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Family friendly
and fun for all ages, both events will take place in the Whilamut Natural Area
of Alton Baker Park and will include brief presentations, project information
and walking tours of the new northbound bridge.





Getting there:





The celebrations
will be held north of the Knickerbocker Bridge in the Whilamut Natural Area of
Alton Baker Park.





We encourage
attendees to use alternate modes of transportation. There are nearby bus stops
and many bicycle and pedestrian routes to the natural area. Senior and disabled
parking will be located in Lot 9 off Leo Harris Parkway. A courtesy shuttle
will transport those from the senior and disabled parking area to the event
site.

Keep
reading this blog to learn more about the festivities. We look forward to
sharing this important day with you!

Delays possible on Canoe Canal Path; watch for flaggers

From ODOT-

Thanks to favorable weather, construction is moving faster than expected. Cyclists and pedestrians may encounter minor delays on the Canoe Canal Path for the next month as crews working on the Interstate 5 Willamette River Bridge Project grade and pave the north and south embankments where I-5 crosses the Canoe Canal.



Flaggers will be on the site to let path users know if they will need to wait momentarily. In the interest of safety for both path users and construction workers, please pay attention and obey the flaggers’ instructions. These intermittent delays will happen only on weekdays.

Hidden cables make for a strong, flexible bridge

From ODOT-

After
the fresh concrete on the Whilamut Passage Bridge hardens and cures, we post-tension
bridge beams and decks to make them stronger.  

Post-tensioning
involves stretching interior steel cables like a rubber band to give bridge
beams and decks an inner link of strength and flexibility.  

Steel
cables are threaded through ducts in the bridge and stretched tight using
hydraulic jacks. Workers must tighten the cables in a specific order to
maintain a balance of pressure. Special wedges keep the cables from slipping
while being stretched.  

In
the photo below, you can see:

• Numerous post-tensioning cables.


• Three ducts, or passageways, for
  the cables.


• Three round anchor plates that
  are fixed at the end of the ducts, each with smaller openings that the
  cables pass though.

 

Post-tensioning
the concrete bridge beams and decks makes them stronger and more flexible than
concrete alone, ensuring the bridge can easily carry heavy traffic and better
resist an earthquake for decades to come.