| I-5 Willamette River Bridge (Eugene/Springfield) |
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| Overview |
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Rendering of proposed I-5 Willamette River Bridge
**Public Comment Period now open! (February 4th - March 5th)
New information on the 2004 I-5 detour bridge phase
As part of a mitigation effort for impacts to Alton Baker Park by the 2004 Interstate 5 detour bridge, ODOT is proposing the transfer of real estate owned by ODOT to the city of Eugene on behalf of Willamalane Park and Recreation District. Please click here to learn more information and how you can comment.
Weekly Construction Update
Activities for the week of Feb. 8, 2010
- I-5 northbound off-ramp to Franklin Boulevard will be closed Feb. 15 through Feb. 19 while demolition of the decommissioned bridge is completed over the ramp.
- Demolition of decommissioned bridge over railroad started Jan. 28.
- Pedestrian traffic on bike path south of Franklin Boulevard to be re-routed to construction access road Feb. 2 through Feb. 12 to ensure safety during bridge demolition over the railroad.
- The North Bank bike path in Eastern Alton Baker Park is closed from the east side of the I-5 overpass to the junction with the Knickerbocker Bridge.
- The Canoe Canal path located in the Whilamut Natural Area of Eastern Alton Baker Park is open.
- North Walnut Road located west of I-5 is closed to the public for the duration of the project so that crews can use it as an access road. Walnut Road in Eastgate Woodlands is closed at the junction with the North Bank path on the east side of I-5.
- Bicyclists and pedestrians may experience delays on paths on both sides of the river. Flaggers will direct path users and detours will ensure continued connections between Eugene and Springfield.
- Bicyclists are subject to the same rules as other motorists; this includes doubling of fines in construction zones for not obeying flaggers or riding on a closed road or path. Closures and delays are necessary for the protection and safety of people using the paths, as well as construction workers.
- The fenced area near the bridge in Alton Baker Park is a staging area for contractors.
- Roadside work crews and construction vehicles will enter and exit the travel lanes at the intersection of Franklin Boulevard and Jenkins Drive.
To see ongoing construction activity updated every 30 minutes, check the project's Web cam 1 and Web cam 2.
To hear weekly project update information and/or leave a question or comment, call project phone at (541) 868-1070.
Twitter
Follow @ OregonDOT on Twitter to learn about detours, construction impacts and links to photos, videos and other project information. Also highlighted are public events and other interesting project news.
Project overview
Built in 1962, the Interstate 5 Willamette River Bridge borders the cities of Eugene and Springfield and provides a critical link for moving freight and people on the I-5 corridor.
In 2002, shear cracks were identified in the bridge structure resulting in weight limits that detoured heavy haul trucks to Central Oregon, 200 miles out of their way. ODOT opened a temporary bridge in 2004 as an interim solution to keep the route open for freight and other vehicles until a new bridge could be built. The temporary bridge was constructed using materials and methods that could be installed quickly, but that do not meet environmental, design or seismic standards for permanent freeway bridges.
As part of the Oregon Transportation Investment Act of 2003, funds were dedicated to replace the Willamette River Bridge. The new bridge moved forward in 2008 when the Federal Highway Administration in November issued “A Finding of No Significant Impact,” based on an environmental assessment conducted by ODOT. Construction of the new bridge began in May 2009.
Federal, state and local officials attend groundbreaking
Cost estimate
- The project is funded at $40 million for design and $147 million for construction.
- Funding sources are Oregon Department of Transportation Investment Act and Federal SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users) earmark funds.
Construction overview
- Summer 2009: Began construction activities on the south bank.
- Fall 2009: Demolished decommissioned bridge.
- Winter 2010: Begin construction on new I-5 southbound bridge.
- Summer 2011: Move both northbound and southbound traffic to new southbound bridge.
- Fall 2011: Demolish existing temporary bridge.
- Winter 2012: Begin construction on new I-5 northbound bridge.
- Fall 2013: Open new northbound bridge to traffic; bridge project complete.
Path/river user impacts
Detour paths on south bank of the Willamette River and in the Whilamut Natural Area of Eastern Alton Baker Park ensure safe mobility around the construction areas for bicyclists and pedestrians. Kiosks located throughout the park provide updated path detour and construction information.
Bicyclists and pedestrians may experience delays on paths on both sides of the river. Flaggers will direct path users, and detours will ensure continued connections between Eugene and Springfield.
Bicyclists are subject to the same rules as motorists, including doubling of fines in construction zones for disobeying a flagger or riding on a closed road or path. Closures and delays are necessary to protect the safety of people using the paths, as well as construction workers.
View a map of the current detour paths in the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park resulting from the I-5 Willamette River Bridge replacement.
Boaters should use the north bank channel as marked in the river and on the construction bridge. Avoid the channel near the south bank and middle of river.
View flyer showing correct river channel to use.
Environmental improvements
In addition to building a bridge, the surrounding areas will be restored to equal or better than original condition. This includes paving paths, planting new native species trees with a minimum 2-to-1 replacement ratio, and restoring native plants to all impacted staging areas.
The bridge design itself complements the river and surrounding environment through the deck-arch design, which limits disturbances in the river while providing open vistas to both park and river users. The new bridge design will also minimize disturbance to river dwellers, like salmon and Oregon chub, because each arch touches down in the water only once, in the middle of the river.
We are also protecting species and habitats in other ways. Hamilton Construction has built a wood-and-steel work platform and demolition containment structure, which is almost 120 feet wide and set 10 feet above the water level. Our goal is to contain 100 percent of construction debris, preventing all of it from entering the water.
In addition to building a work bridge complete with a drainage system, contractors are preventing spills of oil and hydraulic fluids with containments on their equipment.
Demolition of the original decommissioned bridge is generating massive amounts of steel, concrete and other debris. Each piece of reinforcing steel is carefully separated for recycling. Some concrete will be crushed and made into gravel, while the rest will be used as fill by local gravel mines. We also expect to recycle the 1.3 million board feet of lumber and 15 million pounds of steel that make up the work bridge.
Historic Eugene Millrace
The Millrace structure beneath the southern end of the I-5 bridges is a significant historical resource and is eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The National Historic Preservation Act requires that impacts to the Millrace be avoided wherever possible and reduced where necessary.
The project team will work to make the Millrace more visible as a historic resource and create new pathways to improve access for closer viewing. During public outreach events, the team will provide information about the Millrace while soliciting photographs, documents, and oral history from the public to fill in gaps in the Millrace history. The contractors will incorporate information about structure into interpretive displays to be installed as part of the final site restoration.
If you have any historical information about the Eugene Millrace, please contact John Lively at (541) 484-7052 or john@cawood.com.
Design enhancement process
The following aesthetic design concepts offer a menu of ideas from three Art and Design Teams.
Design enhancements build an experience over and under the bridge. They tell a story about this place over time.
Design enhancements have been divided into three geographic zones, each engaging directly a different set of key communities (see map).
From nearly a dozen respondents, three Art and Design Teams (ADTs) were selected in September 2009 by the Design Enhancement Panel.
- ADT #1. Lando and Associates and artist Buster Simpson, are designing enhancements for above-deck and roadway features, which could include railings, fencing or a median sculpture. Simpson is a nationally known public artist and Pat Lando’s work was featured earlier this year on the cover of Landcape Architecture magazine.
- ADT #2. GreenWorks, partnering with artists Lee Imonen, Adam Kuby and Suzanne Lee, is designing a south bank interpretive area, which includes the historic Eugene Millrace, river channel restoration, and the south bank bicycle and pedestrian path, underpass and viaduct.
- ADT #3. Litus LCC, led by Tulsi Wallace, is collaborating with Yotokko Kilpatrick, Erin Lamb, Bill Shaw and Tim Shaw. This all-local team is designing elements on the north side of the river, under the bridges and the adjacent Whilamut Natural Area. Their enhancements will include restoration and education for and about the area.
The Design Enhancement Panel is composed of eight community members. Through this past summer they contributed over 1,000 hours of volunteer time, and they haven’t finished their work yet.
Other project information
We value involvement in the project by local residents, property owners, and organizations. Contact John Lively at (541) 484-7052 or john@cawood.com to sign up for updates, learn about upcoming events or schedule a tour. Tours are regularly scheduled for the second Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m.
Web cast
View our Web cast highlighting the bridge work in the beautiful setting of Alton Baker Park and the Willamette River.
Below you will find links to more information, including meeting summaries and activities, about this project.
Project Information Paper
A general overview about the Willamette River Bridge replacement.
Project Goals and Objectives
These guide the decisions made about the project.
Newsletters
A library of our project newsletters.
Community Advisory Group
Representatives of key community organizations that provide input on project goals, objectives, and key decisions.
Project Development Team
Agency representatives from the Oregon Department of Transportation, Eugene, Springfield, Lane County and the Community Advisory Group that make project recommendations to ODOT based on CAG input and technical analysis.
Design Enhancement Panel
Local designers and artists, stakeholders and the CAG/PDT are working on aesthetic design details for the Willamette River Bridge.
Design Workshop Summary
A summary of a two-day workshop held in February 2009 to develop design concepts that guide aesthetic decisions about the project and its surroundings.
Design Workshop Video
A video showing highlights of the Design Workshops and subsequent media event.
Soundwall Information- Laurel Hill Valley Citizens Neighborhood Association
Information about proposed design options for the soundwall along I-5 in the Laurel Hill Valley Neighborhood.
Revised Environmental Assessment (REA)
A document detailing anticipated impacts and mitigation measures for the project.
Open House Summaries
Open houses have been held throughout the process for the public to learn about the project and provide input.
Online Survey Results
The community provided input on the bridge type in a spring 2008 online survey.
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| Contact |
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Rick Little, Public Information Officer, (541) 726-2442; Richard.LITTLE@odot.state.or.us
John Lively, Construction Information Coordinator, (541) 484-7052; john@cawood.com
Dick Upton, ODOT Project Manager, (503) 986-3477; richard.upton@odot.state.or.us
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