Sellwood Bridge Construction Continues

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Adding deck panels to detour bridge west approach

Work bridge pile beams added

River Work

Work Bridge – The contractor continues to cut and cap the work bridge piles and has started to add horizontal beams connecting the piles (see photo). The contractor will use the L-shaped work bridges as a platform to construct the new bridge in 2013.  Work continues on the translation structures that will be used to slide the bridge onto the detour bridge piers in January. 

West Side Work

TRAFFIC ALERT: Detour Bridge Approach – On Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 19 – 20, the northbound slip lane of Hwy. 43 that passes under the bridge will be closed from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and northbound traffic will be diverted through the intersection.  This will allow materials to be delivered for the deck sections that are being added to the approach spans between Highway 43 and the river (see photo below). 

Landslide Work – Landslide stabilization continues north and south of the bridge.  This work continues through next spring.

East Side Work

Detour Bridge Approach – Construction of the approach spans continues eastward.  The contractor has constructed beams for the fourth approach span.  The east approach of the old bridge will tie in with the detour bridge just east of Riverpark Condominiums.

Riverpark condos – Finish work continues on the exterior wall and interior of an unoccupied townhouse at Riverpark condominiums.  The townhouse is under the detour bridge and will be resold after the project is completed.

Sellwood Harbor – The north entrance has closed and demolition of three unoccupied northside units is in progress.  The units are being removed to make room for the new bridge.

Historic Bridge Trivia:  The Oregonian newspaper called for a grand Sellwood Bridge two decades before the bridge opened in 1925.  Why? The newspaper wanted the Lewis and Clark Exposition of 1905 to be built at Oaks Park, north of the bridge.  City leaders later located the fair in NW Portland, delaying plans for a new bridge in Sellwood.  See a drawing of the Sellwood Bridge proposed in 1901 in the “Did You Know” section of our bridge history website.

Construction Work Hours: Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.  Work hours for eastside condominiums are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.  The contractor does not plan to work during the four-day Thanksgiving weekend.

Tags: portland, construction, work, sellwood, bridge, details, makeover