Field Work and Construction Updates

This page provides updates about bridge construction that may impact bridge users and immediate neighbors. To join the Construction Updates email list, please fill out the form on the right.

Sellwood Field Work Update for May 24

Excavating east approach column

Saw-cutting river piers and tug

Oscillating casing for river pier shaft

TRAFFIC ALERTS

• Hwy. 43 Lane Closures: The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 remains closed nights and most of the day (except from 4 pm to 7 pm) weekdays between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the project limits south of the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway.
• 6th & Tacoma Work Zone: The contractor is building Bent 11, the easternmost column of the bridge, on the south side of Tacoma St. west of SE 6th Ave. Flaggers are directing traffic in this area during construction.
• Springwater Trail: Steel plates cover a short section of the trail on the south side of the bridge, to protect the trail from construction equipment.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update for May 17

Sellwood steel at Thompson Metals

Rebar cage for east approach

TRAFFIC ALERTS

• Hwy. 43 Lane Closures: The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 remains closed nights and most of the day (except from 4 pm to 7 pm) weekdays between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the project limits south of the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway.
• Taylor’s Ferry Turn-Around: Next week the contractor will construct a turnaround in the traffic island at Hwy. 43 and SW Taylors Ferry Rd. The turnaround will allow northbound traffic to make a U-turn in 2014 when construction will prevent bridge traffic from turning south onto Hwy. 43. The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 will be closed from 9 am to 4 pm next to the traffic island during the work.
• 6th & Tacoma Work Zone: The contractor has started construction of Bent 11, the easternmost column of the bridge, on the south side of Tacoma St. west of SE 6th Ave. Flaggers are directing traffic in this area during construction.
• Springwater Trail: On May 20 the contractor will place steel plates over a section of the trail on the south side of the bridge, to protect the trail from construction equipment. Asphalt transition ramps will be added at each end of the plates, which will be painted orange for increased visibility. Signs will alert trail users about the plates, which will be coated with a non-skid surface for improved traction.
• Speed Limit Reminder: The speed limit on the bridge and in the work zone on Hwy. 43 is 25 mph. The speed limit is in effect at all hours and days of the week. Please note that drivers can be fined for parking in a construction zone.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update - May 10

Decking west work bridge

Oscillating casing for Bent 6 foundation

TRAFFIC ALERTS

• Hwy. 43 Lane Closures: The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 remains closed nights and most of the day (except from 4 pm to 7 pm) weekdays between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the project limits south of the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway.
• 6th & Tacoma Work Zone: Concrete barricades were installed along Tacoma St. between SE 6th Ave. and the west end of the bridge today, in preparation for work on the new bridge approach. Tacoma St. and 6th Ave. will remain open in both directions during this work and all turn movements are still allowed.
• Speed Limit Reminder: The speed limit on the bridge and in the work zone on Hwy. 43 is 25 mph. The speed limit is in effect at all hours and days of the week.

For safety, we urge bridge users not to cut through the narrow residential streets in the Sellwood area to dodge commute traffic.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Work at 6th & Tacoma on May 10

Flaggers will direct traffic at the west end of the Sellwood Bridge on Friday, May 10 between 9 am and about 2 pm while the bridge contractor installs concrete barricades along SE Tacoma St. between SE 6th Ave. and the west end of the bridge.  Installation of the barricades will require a single lane closure at times, with flaggers directing two-way traffic in the open lane. Bridge users can avoid delays by using an alternate route such as the Ross Island Bridge.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

East work bridge construction

TRAFFIC ALERTS

• Recent Traffic Congestion:  Morning traffic jams occurred in the project area this week on Monday and Thursday.  The cause was a malfunctioning traffic signal at SW Nevada and SW Macadam, north of the project.  The City of Portland is working to fix the signal, which went into a “Flash” mode that caused each vehicle to stop.  This work is not related to the bridge project.
• Hwy. 43 Lane Closures: The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 is closed nights and most of the day (except from 4 pm to 7 pm) weekdays between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the project limits south of the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway. The week of May 6, Hwy. 43 traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction on weeknights north of the bridge.

For safety, we urge bridge users not to cut through the narrow residential streets in the Sellwood area to dodge commute traffic.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

Night work on westside retaining walls

Setting last girder for east work bridge

Constructing drilled shafts for east approach

TRAFFIC ALERTS

Hwy. 43 Lane Closures: The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 is closed nights and most of the day (except from 4 pm to 7 pm) weekdays between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the project limits south of the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway. The week of April 29, Hwy. 43 traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction on weeknights north of the bridge (see retaining walls below).

For safety, we urge bridge users not to cut through the narrow residential streets in the Sellwood area to dodge commute traffic.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

Construction at the eastern approach to the bridge

TRAFFIC ALERTS

Hwy. 43 Lane Closure: The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 is closed nights and most of the day (except from 4 pm to 7 pm) weekdays between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the project limits south of the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway.

For safety, we urge bridge users not to cut through the narrow residential streets in the Sellwood area to dodge commute traffic.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

East work bridge from below

Preparing for east approach drilled shafts

TRAFFIC ALERTS

• Hwy. 43 Lane Closure: The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 is closed from 7 am to 4 pm weekdays between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the project limits south of the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway.
• Springwater Trail: The week of April 15 a contractor will be setting up equipment south of the bridge near the trail. This may require brief closures of the trail, for five minutes or less. Trail users that prefer a detour will be directed to an alternate route across SE Tacoma St. at SE 7th.

For safety, we urge bridge users not to cut through the narrow residential streets in the Sellwood area to dodge commute traffic.

TRAFFIC ALERT: Hwy. 43 lane closure near Sellwood Bridge April 12

The outside southbound lane of Highway 43 will be closed north and south of the Sellwood Bridge at times today, April 12, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. due to Sellwood Bridge construction on the west side of the highway.  This work may add a few minutes of delay for southbound travel through the project area. For project information, visit www.sellwoodbridge.org.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

TRAFFIC ALERT:  Expect delays on Hwy. 43 south of Sellwood Bridge on April 9

The traffic signal on Highway 43 at Riverview Cemetery south of the Sellwood Bridge will be turned off on Tuesday, April 9 from 9 a.m. until as late as 4 p.m. while the contractor digs a trench across the highway to repair a culvert.  Flaggers will direct traffic during this work. Highway users traveling south of the bridge should expect delays and consider alternate routes.

In other project news, night blasting has been cancelled for this week.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

Final shear pile installation

TRAFFIC ALERTS

Hwy. 43 Work:

• Blasting for the retaining wall on Hwy 43 is tentatively scheduled to take place on Wednesday April 10, between 9 pm and 3 am. If it occurs, it will necessitate closure of the outer southbound lane between 7 pm and 5 am. Blasting will occur between 9 pm and 3 am. During blasting traffic may be stopped on Hwy 43 and the detour bridge for up to 20 minutes. Highway users should expect delays during this work and consider alternate routes.
• Culvert: The signal south of the Sellwood Bridge will be controlled by flaggers. This will affect both northbound and southbound traffic on Hwy 43 from 7 am to 3 pm, just south of the bridge, for culvert work.

For safety, we urge bridge users not to cut through the narrow residential streets in the Sellwood area to dodge commute traffic.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

Sunrise from west work zone

Installing shear pile for landslide

TRAFFIC ALERTS

Hwy. 43 Work: Late next week the traffic signal at Riverview Cemetery south of the bridge will be turned off while the contractor digs a trench across the highway to replace a culvert. (A Traffic Alert email will be sent out when the schedule is confirmed.) Flaggers will direct traffic during this work, which is expected to take place during the day. Highway users south of the bridge should expect delays during this work and consider alternate routes.

Day: The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 is closed from 7 am to 4 pm weekdays between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway.

For safety, we urge bridge users not to cut through the narrow residential streets in the Sellwood area to dodge commute traffic.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

Blasting prep west of Hwy 43

Excavating westside of Hwy 43

East Work Bridge

TRAFFIC ALERTS

• Day: The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 is closed from 7 am to 4 pm weekdays between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway.

For safety, we urge bridge users not to cut through the narrow residential streets in the Sellwood area to dodge commute traffic.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

Taylors Ferry u-turn aerial

Stephens Creek culverts - before and after

TRAFFIC ALERTS

• Day: The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 is closed from 7 am to 4 pm weekdays between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway.
• Night: Blasting is scheduled on March 20 and 21 as part of the work to widen Highway 43 for the new bridge interchange.  On blast nights, intermittent closures of traffic lanes will happen between 7 pm and 5 am. Highway and bridge closures will last up to 20 minutes for each blast. Five minutes and one minute before each blast, a warning siren will sound. The siren is usually louder than the blast itself. Two or three blasts are scheduled each night between 9 pm and 3 am.  Travelers can avoid delays by choosing alternate routes on blast nights.
• March 21:  On Thursday Century Link will be at the Macadam Bay driveway splicing fiber optic lines from 9 am to 3:30 pm.  The northbound curb lane of Hwy. 43 will be closed for this work from the old Staff Jennings driveway to Macadam Bay’s driveway.  Flaggers will direct northbound traffic.    

Traffic Congestion:  As Sellwood Bridge commuters know, traffic congestion increased on weekday mornings several weeks ago when excavation work began on the west side of Hwy. 43.  This week our project made some changes to improve traffic flow during peak commute hours.  Flaggers are giving more priority to commute traffic.  Some traffic congestion is inevitable due to all the construction activity, but morning traffic has improved since the changes were made. 

For safety, we urge bridge users not to cut through the narrow residential streets in the Sellwood area to dodge commute traffic.

Sellwood Bridge night blasting postponed until March 20

Night blasting for the Sellwood Bridge project has been rescheduled from tonight to next Wednesday, March 20. The blasting subcontractor postponed tonight's blast to perform more work on the next section of rock that will be blasted.  

The first two blasts last night (at 11:40 pm and 3:35 am) were very successful in fracturing rock on the hill west of Highway 43.  Multnomah County received no complaints about noise from the blasts or traffic delays. The blasting is needed for the excavation work that will widen Highway 43 for a new interchange with the bridge.

Next week several blasts are planned the evenings of March 20 and 21.  The blasting is expected to take four weeks to complete, with blasts several nights a week.

For more information, visit the blasting page.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

Ground anchor installation

TRAFFIC ALERTS

• Day: The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 is closed from 7 am to 4 pm weekdays between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway.
• Night: Blasting is scheduled on March 13 and 14 as part of the work to widen Highway 43 for the new bridge interchange.  On blast nights, intermittent closures of traffic lanes and the highway and bridge will happen between 7 pm and 5 am. Highway and bridge closures will last from 5 to 20 minutes for each blast. Five minutes and one minute before each blast, a warning siren will sound. The siren will probably be louder than the blast itself.  Two or three blasts are scheduled each night between 9 pm and 3 am.  Travelers can avoid delays by choosing alternate routes on blast nights.  Click here for more information about blasting.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

Blasting areas map

Crews install rebar cage for landslide shear pile

TRAFFIC ALERTS

• The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 will be closed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the bridge while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway.
• In two weeks, on March 13 the contractor will begin blasting rock from the hillside just north and south of the bridge. Blasting will take place 2-3 nights a week 2-3 times per night, between 8 p.m. and 3 a.m., for four weeks.  Prior to each blast flaggers will stop traffic on the Detour Bridge and Hwy 43 for up to 20 minutes.  We encourage you to find alternative routes during these hours.

Sellwood Bridge construction traffic alert

Sellwood Bridge construction will require lane closures on Highway 43 near the bridge this week:

The outside southbound lane of Highway 43 will be closed as early as 7 a.m. between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the bridge on weekdays starting Tuesday, February 26. The lane will reopen by 4 p.m. The early lane closure will be in place while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway and builds retaining walls. The outside northbound lane of Highway 43 will be closed at times south of the bridge on Feb. 27-28 while a PGE crew installs a new powerpole and overhead wires.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

Excavation on west side of Hwy 43

Concrete pour for landslide shear pile

Translation steel on east bank

TRAFFIC ALERTS

• On Monday, Feb. 25 (from 10 am until as late as 2 pm) bridge traffic will be reduced to a single lane during a deck joint repair.  Flaggers will direct two-way traffic during the lane closure.
• The outside southbound lane of Hwy. 43 will be closed as early as 7 a.m. between SW Taylors Ferry Road and the bridge starting next week while the contractor excavates the hillside west of the highway.
• The outside northbound lane of Hwy. 43 will be closed at times south of the bridge on Feb. 27 – 28 while a PGE crew installs a new power pole and overhead wires.

West Side Work

Retaining Walls – The contractor continues to build access roads on the west side of Highway 43 in preparation for excavating the hillside (see photo).  Retaining walls will be built this year along the west side of the highway.  Night-time blasting is expected to start in March, but several permits are still needed.  More information on blasting will be shared as details are confirmed.

By late 2013 traffic lanes will shift west so that the contractor can begin to build the east side of the interchange. 

Landslide Work – A heavy amount of landslide stabilization work is happening on both sides of the bridge (see photo).  This work should be completed in April. 

East Side Work

Work Bridge – Constructing the east work bridge and its land approach is a key task for March.  Next week the contractor will lay down rock for the access road to the work bridge and build a pad for a crane. In coming weeks horizontal structural elements will be added to the river spans. The east and west work bridges will be used as platforms to build the new bridge.

Correction – The Feb. 19 field work notice noted that “Pile driving will not be needed for the work bridge piers near the river.”   In fact, the contractor is still studying the best method to install foundations for the work bridge, which could include pile driving.  Watch for news on this in a future Field Work notice.

Steel that was used in the bridge move last month has been moved to the east bank (see photo).  This steel will be moved to a storage yard and re-used on other parts of this project.

Sellwood Harbor – Work on the new end wall of the three-story residential building next to the bridge should wrap up in the next two weeks.

Construction Work Hours

Normal weekday work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Work hours for eastside condominiums are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

Sellwood Bridge Field Work Update

Removing light pole on Highway 43

River Work

The contractor has completed removal of the gear and work decks that were used to move the truss span in January.  The beams between the old and new bridge piers have been cut off and removed.  Removal of the old concrete river piers is scheduled for this spring.

Work on the approach to the east work bridge continues through early March.  Due to large underground boulders near the river bank, a spread-footing concrete foundation rather than piles will be used to support the work bridge approach.  Pile driving will not be needed for the work bridge piers near the river.  The east and west work bridges will be used as platforms to build the new bridge.

West Side Work

Retaining Walls – Light poles on the west side of Highway 43 were removed last week in preparation for construction of retaining walls on the west side (see photo by Daniel Kalfayan).  Lights have been installed on the eastside of the highway.  The contractor has installed concrete barriers along the west shoulder and is constructing a work road that will be used to construct the retaining walls.

Excavation of the slope on the west side of Highway 43 will require blasting, which will occur at night.  Explosive charges will be placed deep underground to break up rock and make it easier to excavate.  Blasting is scheduled to start in early March.  Our next field work update will include more information about blasting.

By the end of this year, traffic lanes will be shifted west so that the contractor can begin to build the east side of the interchange. 

Macadam Bay – Century Link’s installation of a new telecommunications line in the driveway to this floating home community should be completed this morning. Residents are able to use the driveway during the work.

Landslide Work – Landslide stabilization work is on schedule to be completed in April. 

East Side Work

Sellwood Harbor – Work on the new end wall of the three-story residential building next to the bridge is expected to wrap up this week.

Construction Work Hours

Normal weekday work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Work hours for eastside condominiums are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.