The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will spend up to $470 million to seismically retrofit and replace a critical bridge crossing the Willamette River in Salem. Currently in the design phase, construction is anticipated to begin in 2026.
Currently, should a major seismic event occur, the Center Street Bridge would be rendered inoperable and a danger to motorists, according to ODOT officials. The project will be divided into two phases due to a study that determined the west half of the bridge was unsuitable for retrofitting. As a result, Phase 2 will replace that section of the bridge with an up-to-code structural design.
Phase 1 will prioritize the eastern half of the bridge. The project will strengthen the bridge’s river section and eastern side, improving the approach to the bridge as well as the ramp to the southbound highway. The department will also enlarge the bridge supports and replace or upgrade the waterline attached to the bridge.
During the early construction portions, ODOT will relocate waterlines, build work platforms and install cofferdam to facilitate construction. Additional work will consist of drilling foundations, retrofitting the main span, reconstructing a nearby parking lot and various in-water work. The department will also develop and refine an emergency response plan to provide the city with the most efficient way to reconnect the bridge’s west side following a seismic event, ensuring residents have access to critical services as soon as possible.
Phase 2 will completely replace the existing west end ramps. The new structures will be seismically resilient, ensuring they will be prepared for major seismic activity. The scope for Phase 2 is still in the early stages and will be subject to alteration.
Photo by Oregon Department of Transportation, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, from Wikimedia Commons
