The recommendation was made at an October 25th meeting with the Public Stakeholder Committee (PSC). Citizen presenters included Heather Koch, Laura Jackson, Jeff Swanson and Paddy Tillett. In recommending the steel deck arch, Swanson noted its benefits.
“It’s within our budget and also reflects our community values,” he noted. “It echoes the character of the historic bridge and enhances views of and from the bridge
“It also performs well on technical criteria,” the Portland Business Alliance representative continued. “It minimizes construction time, traffic closure and risk for in-water work. It also has great potential for local firms to compete to produce parts or construct the bridge. And the arch form really fits the natural setting of this section of the river.”
Jeff noted that the committee’s second choice, the concrete box girder, ran a distant second. “In the words of one committee member, the lower cost box girder is ‘ugly at any price’,” he said.
Citizen committee members also advocated for reducing the size and cost of the westside interchange which would help to lower the height of a rock cut that will be needed to accommodate the new interchange.
PSC members were impressed by the citizens’ recommendations and their efforts to keep within the project’s budget. “I was afraid the citizens would come back with something beautiful that we can’t afford,” noted State Senator Diane Rosenbaum. “Instead you have worked to find the best solution that fits within our budget. This is great work.”
Other comments by PSC members included a suggestion to consider a concrete arch in case steel prices increase during design and a commitment by ODOT to reconsider the need for four through lanes on Highway 43 under the new interchange. Limiting the through lanes to two could lower the cost and size of the interchange.
The PSC will meet in November to develop their own bridge type recommendation for the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, who are expected to make the final decision in December.
Citizen committee presenter Jeff Swanson describes the benefits of the steel deck arch while Heather Koch awaits her turn to address the PSC.
