The Sellwood Bridge has been in desperate need of overhaul for years. Crumbling and cracked concrete, narrow lanes, inadequate sidewalks, bad lighting, and difficult approaches were just some of the problems it faced. As a temporary stop-gap the County had placed a weight limit on the bridge that excluded not only big trucks but fire trucks and busses as well. Planning started on a new bridge in 2006, a design was selected in 2009, and work began on the new bridge in 2012. Since then, we and the entire Sellwood Neighborhood have gritted our teeth as this massive infrastructure project dominated our lives. 2105 was a big year though, because the County was finally able to announce a date when traffic will be flowing on the new Bridge- February 27. The whole project won’t be finished until November, but the neighborhood will be throwing quite the blowout… you’re invited, and we’ll keep you posted. That’s the point of this Sellwood Bridge Update column; to keep you posted on events with our wobbly neighbor. Check out everything we’ve brought you in 2015, then keep checking back. We’ll tell you the latest on the party, and everything else bridge-related until the project is finally finished this November.
December- Tentative opening date announced
November- Major westside traffic change
October- Big westside changes on the way
September- Will bad bolts bang the Bridge?
August- Surprising answer to our trivia question
July- Which Portland bridges are earthquake-rated?
June- The view from down under
May- When will the Bridge be finished?
April- Falling concrete and rising arches
March- The next set of arches is here
February- New opening date announced
January- Timeline of Bridge construction
As always, Multnomah County maintains the definitive website on everything related to the Sellwood Bridge Replacement project, www.sellwoodbridge.org. Construction and closure alerts, archived information, and other resources are all available 24/7 for your convenience. If you’re looking for something that’s not on the website, you can contact Mike Pullen (mike.j.pullen@multco.us, 503-209-4111) or visit www.sellwoodbridge.org.
