tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25606999954374824812011-09-07T06:37:12.280-07:00A conversation about the Sellwood Bridge Project in Portland Oregon.Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comBlogger221100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-22402373263963152011-03-22T08:51:00.000-07:002011-03-24T08:10:22.399-07:00

Recent world events remind us how important it is to build structures so they can survive a major earthquake. The new Sellwood Bridge is being designed to the latest seismic standards. Bridge designers will take into account all the potential seismic conditions in the region and at the site of the new bridge. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake caused an upper deck section of the San

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-63291607530317698832011-03-03T09:11:00.000-08:002011-03-03T09:43:42.776-08:00

Comparing costs: A tale of two bridgesWhen comparing the cost of two items, a shopper needs to know what’s included in the price. The author of a recent letter to a community newspaper wondered why the new Sellwood Bridge has a higher cost than the recently completed Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge in Arizona (shown in photo below). Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-4274129174814789872011-02-04T14:11:00.000-08:002011-02-04T16:16:09.800-08:00

The new Sellwood Bridge will feature a steel arch design and cost less than predicted. Multnomah County commissioners chose the structure type for the new bridge and approved a reduced cost estimate in January, agreeing with recommendations from project partners and a citizen advisory committee.Steel Deck ArchThe bridge replacement project is at the 30% design phase. County commissioners also

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-1152651675286259482011-02-04T07:58:00.000-08:002011-02-04T08:37:19.017-08:00

Multnomah County and the City of Portland have completed a historic agreement to fund the new Sellwood Bridge. The agreement was approved by the Portland City Council on February 2 and by Multnomah County’s Board of Commissioners on February 3.Mayor Sam Adams addressed the County Board with Marissa Madrigal, Chief of Staff to County Chair Jeff CogenThe City of Portland will provide up to $100

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-15492517549091342452011-01-24T16:43:00.000-08:002011-01-24T16:46:42.243-08:00

The Oregon chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies has honored the Sellwood Bridge project with a grand award for engineering excellence. The project was one of eight to receive a grand award at the organization’s annual awards dinner in January.Awards are presented to projects led by engineering companies from Oregon and southwest Washington. The Sellwood Bridge project was

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-88515877253119719092010-12-10T11:10:00.000-08:002010-12-13T16:36:58.445-08:00

Replacing the aging Sellwood Bridge moved a step closer to reality on December 9. The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners approved a $5 annual vehicle registration fee that will raise $22 million to help replace the bridge. County residents will begin paying the fee in January 2012. The action adds a critical piece to the project’s funding plan. Another piece of the funding puzzle may

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-79615333440434661872010-11-01T08:12:00.000-07:002010-11-01T08:46:25.749-07:00

After eleven meetings, a committee of citizens has recommended a Sellwood Bridge structure type to a panel of elected and appointed leaders from the region. The verdict? The new Sellwood Bridge should be a steel deck arch with an open deck that does not obscure the view of the green hills west of the bridge.The recommendation was made at an October 25th meeting with the Public Stakeholder

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-65125879517496538472010-10-22T08:27:00.000-07:002010-10-22T08:34:06.420-07:00

With a current cost estimate of $330 million, the Sellwood Bridge Project presents a huge business opportunity for local firms. Design and construction of the bridge are expected to provide business for more than a hundred companies. Suppliers and subcontractors will range from steel fabricators to geologists and everything in between. With the project entering the design phase, Multnomah

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-5883853536223648522010-10-19T09:23:00.000-07:002010-10-19T09:32:43.258-07:00

People often ask “Is the Sellwood Bridge safe to use?” Engineers working for Multnomah County and independent firms regularly inspect the condition of the bridge to answer that question. The good news is that these experts believe the bridge remains safe to use. The bad news is that the bridge’s deterioration is quite advanced, especially for a bridge that carries so much daily traffic (

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-80928497117193864542010-10-07T12:36:00.000-07:002010-10-07T12:59:02.443-07:00

It’s been a big week for the Sellwood Bridge Project. After a planning effort that began in 2006, the federal government approved the preferred alternative to replace the Sellwood Bridge. The record of decision by the Federal Highway Administration marks the end of the project’s planning phase and the start of the design phase. The first task in the design phase will be to select a structure

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-6043955225828269792010-09-22T16:29:00.000-07:002010-09-22T16:31:42.040-07:00

Thanks to everyone who participated in the recent public preference survey for the Sellwood Bridge project. Almost 2,500 of you took the time to provide feedback on the bridge types under consideration for the new structure. Complete survey results are available on the project website.Survey highlights include:* People want a bridge that can be easily maintained and is affordable * They also want

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-85142731684344406422010-08-02T09:13:00.000-07:002010-08-02T14:37:23.254-07:00

More than a thousand people have taken our online survey to tell us which structure type they prefer for the new Sellwood Bridge. While opinions come in, a group of third grade students did not miss their opportunity to tell us what they think. According to Debbie Gorenstein, a third grade teacher at Riverdale Grade School, her students would like the new crossing to be a cable stay bridge *.

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-66145411568193521042010-07-28T09:09:00.000-07:002010-07-28T09:11:55.708-07:00

One of the most difficult parts of any large transportation project is finding funds. A new Multnomah County vehicle registration fee that goes into effect in September will help fund the Sellwood Bridge replacement. It was adopted in 2009 by the Board of County Commissioners. The fee is $19 per year per vehicle, or $38 for a two-year renewal. Multnomah County residents will pay the new fee to

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-54201224821890393272010-07-22T15:16:00.000-07:002010-07-22T15:20:51.831-07:00

Many thanks to the 113 people who joined us last night for our open house at Oaks Park. Nearly everyone who attended submitted a comment form with their thoughts about the six bridge types under consideration to replace the Sellwood Bridge. Our project team enjoyed talking with folks and learning more about what people like and don’t like about the options.If you weren’t able to attend the

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-3490033904153012572010-05-12T12:56:00.000-07:002010-05-12T12:57:37.562-07:00

A video tour of the Sellwood Bridge narrated by former Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler received a national Best of Class award for being the top video produced by a county in 2009. The award was announced by the National Association of County Information Officers. In the short video, Chair Wheeler takes a tour of the bridge, pointing out its problems and the issues involved in deciding its

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-2601048703327064732009-12-17T09:22:00.000-08:002009-12-21T15:22:39.466-08:00

A frequent question we’re asked is “Will the Sellwood Bridge stay open during construction?” The short answer is yes. The new bridge will be built in stages so that a river crossing remains available to traffic at most times during construction. This plan responds to a common public concern heard during the planning phase. During planning many businesses told us their health and survival

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-33533624281685721662009-10-23T14:20:00.000-07:002009-10-23T14:32:22.160-07:00

On October 22 the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners adopted a vehicle registration fee to help fund the replacement of the Sellwood Bridge.A replacement bridge is expected to cost $330 million. The new annual vehicle fee of $19 will raise $127 million. Funds for the rest of the project’s cost are expected to come from the federal government, the state of Oregon, the city of Portland, and

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-27409958846801050892009-10-05T09:50:00.000-07:002009-10-05T09:57:44.028-07:00

Thanks to those of you who attended our open house on September 30th at Oaks Park. About 130 people joined our project team to learn more about the refinements made to the Preferred Alternative over the summer and the next steps in our planning process. I was especially pleased to see and hear from so many of you who live or work close to the bridge, especially on the west side. Some of the

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-6278079280539134232009-07-30T10:49:00.000-07:002009-07-30T10:55:36.103-07:00

July 29, 2009 was an important day for the Sellwood Bridge project. Under a hot sun, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski sat at a folding table in a parking lot near Portland’s Union Station and signed the Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act of 2009. The legislation will help fund a new Sellwood Bridge in these ways:• $30 million is designated to build a new interchange where the bridge connects with

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-68386093739325644382009-06-11T16:12:00.000-07:002009-06-11T16:51:36.670-07:00

The Oregon Legislature’s recent passage of a $300 million a year transportation bill will go a long way toward funding a new Sellwood Bridge. The bill was passed by the Oregon House and Senate in May. Governor Kulongoski has vowed to sign the bill into law. The bill, called The Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act of 2009, will help fund a new Sellwood Bridge in these ways:• $30 million is

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-50904419814680575632009-05-13T13:22:00.000-07:002009-05-20T10:15:14.980-07:00

Replacing the Sellwood Bridge is Multnomah County’s top transportation priority. The Sellwood is the busiest two-lane bridge in Oregon. Unfortunately after 83 years of use, the structure has reached the end of its service life. It has so many problems the federal government gives it a score of 2 on a sufficiency scale of 1 to 100.With input from the public, the county and its regional partners

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2560699995437482481.post-34368956767705605292009-05-07T10:33:00.000-07:002009-05-13T13:48:28.344-07:00

This is the first post about the Sellwood Bridge Project. My job with the Sellwood Bridge Project is to communicate with the public and create opportunities for citizens to share their ideas about the project. I will be checking in with you at least once a month. Send your comments about these posts, just be aware that they will not show up on this page. However, if your comment is relevant to

Sellwood Bridgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07945981680662886152noreply@blogger.com