Click on the frequently asked questions below to read the answers.
The Sellwood Bridge
How safe is the existing bridge?
The problems with the Sellwood Bridge are well known: foundation problems, general deterioration,
and a narrow, lightweight design that poorly serves all traffic modes. Multnomah County maintains
a rigorous safety program that includes visual inspections every three months to ensure that the
bridge continues to be safe to use. The weight limits imposed in 2004, have helped preserve the
structure. In 2008 the County injected glue in cracked sections of concrete to seal them against
corrosive water and air. The County also monitors slope movement on the west side that could
endanger the bridge piers and abutments. If Multnomah County ever determines the bridge is not safe
to use, the bridge will be closed.
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What is the funding plan for a new bridge?
The preliminary cost estimate for the Sellwood Bridge Replacement is $330 million (in 2014
dollars, the projected middle year for construction). The cost includes the new bridge, an
interchange where the bridge connects with Highway 43, right-of-way, design, and mitigating
impacts to protected resources. The funding plan includes the following sources:
$127 million - Multnomah County VRF ($19 per year vehicle registration fee)
$100 million - City of Portland (new revenues from the Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act)
$30 million - State of Oregon (Jobs and Transportation Act) for Highway 43 interchange
$11 million - Previously secured funds remaining after planning phase
$22 million - Clackamas County VRF (expected to pass in spring 2010)
$40 million - Request for Federal funds (Authorization of Transportation Act)
Of this funding, $168 million is secured. An additional $122 million is expected to be secured
in 2010. The remaining $40 million request is dependent on the reauthorization of the federal
transportation bill which Congress has yet to consider.
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How soon will construction start?
Construction can begin after the Federal Highway Administration issues a Record of Decision,
right-of-way is purchased, and design work is complete. The chosen project delivery method
could help determine when construction begins. A decision on that will happen this spring.
Construction is expected to begin in 2012.
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What is the timeframe/process for purchasing right-of-way?
Federal funds cannot be used to purchase right of way (property) for the project until the federal
Record of Decision on the plan, which is expect in late summer/early fall 2010. Steps in the right
of way acquisition process include writing legal descriptions for property needed, conducting
appraisals, making offers and completing purchase agreements. The process is governed by state and
federal laws.
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How will I cross the river during construction?
Except for occasional, very short-term closures to accommodate things like lane shifts, the Sellwood
Bridge will be open for motor vehicle and bicycle/pedestrian use throughout construction. Initially,
half of the new bridge will be built to the south of the existing structure. Traffic will shift to
the new half while the old bridge is torn down and the second half is constructed in its place.
Finally, the two bridge halves will be connected and the interchange at the west side will be
reconstructed. It is expected that OR 43 (SW Macadam Avenue) will remain open during construction.
TriMet bus service will be restored once the new bridge opens.
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What will the new bridge look like?
The style of the new bridge will be identified in the summer/fall of 2010. The bridge types that
were studied in the draft environmental impact statement were used for preliminary cost estimates.
The public will be asked to weigh in on the design of the new bridge through a public involvement
process, which will be held later this year.
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What are the dimensions of the Sellwood Bridge?
The Sellwood
Bridge is 1,971 feet long, with 75 feet of vertical waterway clearance. The main river spans
include four continuous spans; the two center spans are 300 feet long and the two outside
spans are 246 feet long. On top the bridge has a roadway 24 feet wide and one 4-foot 3-inch
sidewalk on the downstream/north side. Street lights attached to the sidewalk reduce the
width to about 3 feet in places. After allowing for safety clearances, there is less than 2
feet of usable sidewalk at points.
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What are the Sellwood Bridge’s main deficiencies?
The bridge has numerous deficiencies, including:
- Poor structural condition, with a limited service life
- Weight restrictions, which have forced an average of 1,400 trucks and buses each
day to find a different river crossing route
- Geologic instability on the west end that has resulted in land slides
- Narrow travel lanes with no shoulders or median
- Short stopping distances and lines of sight for motorists
- Traffic that is at capacity during rush hours
- One narrow sidewalk insufficient for bicyclists and pedestrians
- Poor connections to established trails at each end of the bridge
- Tight ramps at west end that cannot easily accommodate large vehicles
- High risk of structural failure in the event of an earthquake
- A National Bridge Inventory sufficiency rating of 2 out of a possible score of 100 (see next question)
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Is the Sellwood Bridge unsafe?
The I-35 bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis had a sufficiency
rating of 50 while the Sellwood Bridge has a sufficiency rating of only 2 on a scale of 100. Every public
bridge has a sufficiency rating that indicates not only its structural condition, but also
how well it serves current traffic needs. The low score of the Sellwood Bridge is due to structural
problems, general deterioration, and a design that poorly serves all traffic modes. Because the Sellwood’s
structural problems are well known, Multnomah County inspects the bridge every three months in addition
to a required biennial inspection. Bridge inspectors monitor structural problems in the bridge, which
have stabilized since weight limits were reduced several years ago. If Multnomah County ever determines
that the bridge is not safe to use, the bridge will be closed.
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Why is the Sellwood Bridge so important?
The Sellwood Bridge is very important the Portland metro region because of its location.
The bridge provides the only crossing for a 12-mile stretch of the Willamette River
between Oregon City and Portland, and it connects major highways, including Oregon
Highways 99E, 43, and 224. It is the busiest two-lane bridge in Oregon, with an
average daily traffic count of 30,000 vehicles. It is also located in a heavily
populated area that is experiencing high density development.
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Who uses the Sellwood Bridge?
Due to the lack of other river crossings in the southern metro region, and its proximity
to the city limits, the Sellwood Bridge serves a diverse group of users. The bridge
is a primary connection to west Portland for residents and businesses in Sellwood,
Westmoreland, and areas beyond. Many of the bridge users are commuters who live
in Clackamas County. Eighty-three percent of Sellwood Bridge trips begin or end
outside of the Portland city limits, however, 80 percent of all trips begin or end
within the city limits. Prior to the reduction of weight limits in 2004, the bridge
was an important secondary freight route, especially for local deliveries. Weight
limits prevent many trucks from using the bridge, forcing out-of-direction travel
that adds to congestion on other routes and increases costs to businesses and consumers.
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Planning Study
Wasn't there a study like this done a few years ago?
In May of 1999, Metro released the South Willamette River Crossing Study.
This study outlined the assumptions, findings,
and recommendations for the corridor between the Marquam Bridge in Portland and the I-205 Bridge in Oregon City. Final
recommendations from this study were incorporated into Metro's 20-year Transportation Plan.
The current Sellwood Bridge project is building off of the recommendations of the South Willamette River Crossing Study, while
focusing on issues related specifically to the Sellwood Bridge. The result of the current project will be an
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),
which will proceed any construction work.
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What was the Sellwood Bridge project's biggest challenge?
Probably the biggest challenge was the scope of the solution. Some stakeholders view the
bridge as a local
connector and prefered to see the capacity of the bridge remain as it is now -- two
lanes only, but with better bike and pedestrian facilities. Metro’s 1999 South Willamette
River Crossing Study recommended a new two-lane bridge. The City of Portland has
since designated Southeast Tacoma Street as a main street in the Sellwood town center
plan. This perspective may be at odds with the view that the Sellwood Bridge is
a regional transportation facility for commuters, transit, and freight metro-wide.
The bridge is an important link connecting several major highways; therefore, increased
capacity of the Sellwood Bridge to serve a growing regional population was also an
important consideration. Balancing these perspectives to arrive at a widely supported
preferred alternative was the primary focus of the project.
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Were there other challenges?
Yes. Several issues were addressed during the project, including:
- Choosing to either replace or rehabilitate the bridge
- Neighborhood livability
- Standards for bicycle and pedestrian facilities
- Alignment of a new bridge: north, south, or same location
- Intersection or interchange at Highway 43
- Right-of-way impacts
- Bridge type and cost
- Construction closure: short, long, or none
- Aesthetic issues: the price of good design
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How much did the planning study cost?
The estimated cost for the planning study was $4 million.
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How were the steps in this planning project organized and
why were they set up in this order?
The process was in compliance with standard
practices used on similar projects. It complied with the federal government mandated National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures.
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How did Multnomah County oversee the project consultant's
work and ensure that tax dollars were spent appropriately?
Did the planning consultant end up designing the preferred
alternative?
Multnomah County and the Oregon Department of Transportation were co-sponsors of the project.
The County and its partners (City of Portland, Metro, ODOT and FHWA) protected the interest of the
taxpayer by providing oversight of the project’s primary consultant CH2M HILL to make sure that
the process was performed without prejudice and done efficiently.
It is common for an engineering firm that has performed the NEPA (planning) phase of a project
to bid for the subsequent phases: preliminary design, final design, and construction engineering.
However, Multnomah County is under no obligation to choose them. In addition, the Request for
Proposals for the NEPA phase contained the following statement: “The prime contractor that performs
the Phase 1 NEPA work shall be precluded from submitting or being part of a team or joint venture
on a design-build or public-private partnership proposal.”
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Process and System
What do all of these acronyms and bridge terms mean?
A glossary of
the project terms was created to explain the acronyms, groups, agencies, and
bridge terms used in the project documents and this web site. There is also further information
about the groups and agencies on the Who's Involved page.
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What was the purpose of weighting the various evaluation
criteria and categories? How was the weighting used?
The evaluation framework, criteria,
weighting, and scoring
are a standard process to aid in decision making.
It helped the groups define the goals and priorities, it also provided a numerical tool
to assist in balancing the potential impacts to many important interests.
The purpose of the evaluation process was to provide information about the potential choices to the
Community Task Force (CTF). However, the CTF was not obligated to make a recommendation based on the
scores. The ranking system was one source of information that CTF members consider. Others included:
each individual’s life experiences, information from their interest groups, public comments at CTF
meetings, public input from Open Houses, survey results, and technical information from the project
staff.
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Why was there a need to create a different evaluation tool
and not use the Oregon engineering baseline that was used
for 300 bridges?
The evaluation tool was developed specifically for the Sellwood Bridge project to reflect the
interests, concerns, and values of the community as reflected in the Community Task Force (CTF).
These were identified though an extensive public outreach process.
The Oregon engineering baseline for 300 bridges (generally highway bridges) is highly general
and was created as a means of streamlining the process so that 300 separate sets of
locally approved criteria did not have to be done. It is a compromise of general
interests throughout the state, but it is not specific to any bridge situation, conditions, or
timeframe.
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Why did residential relocations get such a low weighting
(2.2 out of 100 points)?
The issue of residential relocation was well documented from the beginning of the project.
These issues were made known to the Community Task Force (CTF) and there are members
of the CTF who represent neighborhood groups. The issue was included in the
evaluation framework.
The CTF then weighed the categories of issues, deliberated, and reweighed. Then the CTF weighed
issues within the categories, deliberated, and reweighed. The final weights represented
the average of all of the CTF members’ weightings.
It would be speculative to give an opinion about why CTF members weighed things as they did.
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How has the value of private property been determined in
project costs? When will costs such as condo fees and precise
costs for specific properties be determined?
Costs for Right-of-Way have been developed at a level of accuracy appropriate for the current
stage of the process. Also, for evaluation purposes 40% was added to the estimated Right-of-Way
costs to take into account the fact that the costs were based on estimates and not full appraisals.
If and when specific properties are identified for acquisition, a detailed appraisal will be
performed for each property taken in conformance with federal and state law. Owners will be entitled
to accompany the appraiser during the property inspection and will have the opportunity, prior to the
appraisal being prepared, to provide to the appraiser whatever information the owners may have
concerning their properties. A copy of the completed appraisal will be provided to each owner at
the time the offer to purchase is made. If residential relocation is required as a result of the
project, full relocation benefits will be paid as required by state and federal law.
At this stage of the planning, however, Multnomah County must rely on estimates of value that are not
based on full appraisals of each property that might be acquired.
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Do cost estimates include engineering costs to stabilize the
west end of the bridge from the historic landslide?
They do include engineering costs for stabilizing the west end of the bridge, at
the level of accuracy that is appropriate at this stage of the process.
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Why is there incomplete budget information available for
project costs?
The accuracy level of budget estimates is entirely appropriate for this preliminary stage of
the process. As the number of alternatives has decreased, the level of detail has increased.
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Did Multnomah County or its consultant have a preferred
alternative? How did the County ensure the independence of
the project’s Community Task Force?
Multnomah County and its consultant had no preferred outcome for the planning process.
All reasonable options were on the table and were considered. The process used is
a state-of-the-art public decision making process called Context Sensitive Design, as taught
by the Federal Highway Administration. The process attempts to balance the many interests
at stake in this project. We are confident that the Community Task Force considered
the facts and other information they gather from their own constituencies and arrived
at a well considered recommendation. Alternatives evaluated in the public process
included options for rehabilitating and replacing the bridge.
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Would a four-lane bridge option open the door to Tacoma
Street (now primarily two lanes) being revisited and widened?
Tacoma Street has functioned in two-lane and four-lane capacities in the past. There are no
plans to change the current two-lane configuration on Tacoma Street. A wider bridge design
would allow more flexibility for future bridge capacity. However, the
preferred alternative only has two travel lanes.
Additionally, changing Tacoma Street is outside
the scope of the Sellwood Bridge Project. The eastern boundary of the bridge project is
6th Avenue and Tacoma Street.
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Community Task Force
How were the Community Task Force members chosen?
The county recruited applicants for the
Community Task Force during the winter and spring of 2006.
Presentations were made to more than 30 groups, including neighborhood and business associations
as well as open public meetings. Seventy people applied to serve on the task force and 20 were
selected and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. In choosing the members, the County
sought to include leaders from the major stakeholder groups impacted by the project. These include
neighborhood associations, business districts, and groups representing bridge users such as commuters,
freight, transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
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Why doesn’t the Community Task Force include property
owners whose real estate may need to be purchased for the
bridge project?
In recruiting the
Community Task Force,
the County sought to include representatives of all the major stakeholder groups interested in the
project. While people who own property near the bridge have an obvious interest, the County did not
want to include individuals who had a financial stake in the project’s outcome. If a property owner
on one side of the bridge was chosen for the task force, but a property owner from the other side of
the bridge was not, it could have biased the recommendations of the Community Task Force. The County sought
to include the views of property owners by recruiting representatives of the neighborhood associations
on both sides of the bridge. The presidents of those neighborhood associations were recruited for the
task force and were expected to represent the interests of their constituents, including property
owners near the bridge.
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Teal Alignment
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The Sellwood Bridge provides the only crossing for a 12-mile stretch of the Willamette
River between Oregon City and Portland.
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