| I-205 Preservation: Phase 1 |
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| Phase 1 Project Summary: |
A $20 million project to raise under-height overcrossings, replace bridge expansion and anchor joints, repair concrete roadway damage and pave I-205 and its ramp system between Oregon City and Harold Street in Portland. |
| Status and Timeline: |
Construction began on Phase 1 March 2003 and was completed summer 2005. |
| Latest information: |
Work on this project is substantially complete.
I-205 Phase 2 between Harold Street and the Columbia River began in April and is scheduled for completion summer 2006.
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| Project Information |
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I-205 between the Willamette and Columbia rivers is cracked and badly rutted from nearly 30 years of use by heavy traffic. Average daily traffic volumes range from 146,200 at the northern end to 106,300 at the southern end.
The past two year, two projects improved 16 miles of the concrete freeway. Phase 1 between Oregon City and Harold Street in Portland began in 2003 and Phase 2 between Harold Street and the Columbia River began in 2005. Both projects are substantially complete.
In the spring of 2003, ODOT began an estimated $20 million project to raise under-height overcrossings, replace bridge expansion and anchor joints, repair concrete roadway damage and pave I-205 and its ramp system between Oregon City and Harold Street in Portland.
The project also includes upgrades of concrete barrier, signing, and ramp meter and signal loop replacement. New striping will mark out the lanes and ramps. The 8.75-mile project passes through three cities and two counties -- Oregon City, the cities of Gladstone and Portland, and Clackamas and Multnomah counties. Because of the high traffic volume, most work will take place at night. However, some activities will be year-round. The project is substantially complete.
Joint Replacement
Bridges and overcrossings are built to expand and contract as temperature changes take place. They also flex from the movement and weight of traffic. The mechanisms that allow this movement are called bridge expansion joints. Though bridge joints withstand a tremendous amount of use, they need to be replaced before they wear out.Six locations require expansion and anchor joint replacement and concrete overlays on this project.
Reconfiguring freeway lanes and closing ramps is a safety and construction element of expansion joint replacement. Congestion is an inevitable side effect.
Expansion and anchor joint replacement will take place at several locations simultaneously. Microsilica concrete will be used to resurface the structures after the joints are installed.
Structure Raising
Two overcrossing structures do not meet recommended federal height standards. Any paving will reduce the distance between the roadway and the overcrossing structures even further. Providing adequate clearance for trade-industry and military vehicles is a major design element of this project.The Oregon Highway 212/224 and Strawberry Lane structures over I-205 have be raised
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Raising activities required minimal nighttime delays on the Oregon Highway 212/224 structure only. Unlike the 212/224 structure, the Strawberry Lane overcrossing was not wide enough to safely carry traffic while the contractor readied and raised it so the overcrossing was closed during construction. The Strawberry Lane overcrossing reopened to traffic August 29, 2003.
Concrete Repair
Years of use have caused the freeway pavement to fail at several locations throughout the project corridor. Road base damage and cracks, allowing moisture to seep in, have compromised the road’s strength and rebar support.
Overnight repair of these localized areas required closure of one and sometimes two travel lanes.
Paving and Paving Preparation
Wheel ruts, nearly an inch deep in some places, run the length of the freeway -- in all lanes. Before any paving could take place, the uneven roadway surface required leveling.The leveling is achieved by way of filling in the ruts with a fine paving mix. Then the roadway will be resurfaced with a two-inch asphalt overlay. F-Mix, an ODOT designed asphalt, will be used for the project. This type of pavement improves visibility by reducing road spray from other vehicles. It also lowers the risk of hydroplaning. Many of the ramps to and from the freeway system will also be paved.
Paving activities will take place at night. Freeway lanes and on- and off-ramps will be temporarily closed. Paving and paving preparation will take one more summer to complete.
Other Improvements
While the majority of this project consists of structure-raising, joint replacement and resurfacing the roadway and connecting ramp system, other improvements will be done throughout the project corridor.Updated safety standards require upgrading and/or replacing guardrail, and shoulder and median barrier.
The off-ramp from southbound I-205 to Oregon Highway 224 (Milwaukie Expressway) has been reconstructed to increase storage capacity. Currently, the ramp has been temporarily re-striped using the shoulder to achieve the same configuration.
A longer-lasting striping product called DuraStripe will be used to mark out the lanes and ramps.
Ramp meter and signal (embedded) loop detectors will be replaced.
New and improved signs will replace the existing, faded and outdated ones.
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| ODOT Contact Information |
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