A group of elected and appointed policy makers from the region who oversee Multnomah County’s Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge project will meet on Thursday, March 3 from 2 – 4 pm for a project update and a vote on three cost-saving ideas designed to reduce the project cost. The virtual meeting will be live streamed at https://hdrinc.rev.vbrick.com/#/events/07ec81d2-dd21-4fe5-ac0f-f2cf8d7ec8d6.
The Policy Group is co-chaired by Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury and Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson. It makes recommendations to Multnomah County, which owns the bridge, and to the Federal Highway Administration, which must approve the project’s final environmental study.
The meeting agenda includes:
- An update on project progress since the group’s last meeting
- Review cost-saving ideas for the structure types for the movable span and west approach and a proposed narrowing of the new bridge width
- Results of public outreach on the cost-saving ideas
- Review Community Task Force recommendation on the cost-saving ideas, including in-person comments from a task force member
- Vote on the cost-saving ideas
- Review the project’s next steps and a funding update
On January 24 the Community Task Force unanimously recommended a bascule movable span and a girder structure for the west approach, which together would cost $45 - $75 million less than other options studied. The task force was more divided on the recommendation to narrow the bridge, which will reduce the cost by $140 - $165 million. A majority of the task force supported or could accept the narrowed width proposal to ensure the project can be funded and built, with many encouraging Multnomah County to seek additional funds to widen the new bridge.
County leaders are seeking cost-savings during the planning phase for several reasons. Material and labor costs quickly escalated during the pandemic, while a regional transportation bond failed in 2020 that would have provided $150 million for the project. If the cost-saving ideas are approved, the project cost is estimated at $895 million.
The public can submit comments to be shared at the meeting. To submit a comment, email it to burnsidebridge@multco.us by 5 pm on Wednesday, March 2. A recording of the meeting will be posted to the project website Library the week after the meeting. Meeting materials will be posted to the project website by February 28.
Multnomah County’s Board of Commissioners will consider and vote on the Policy Group’s recommendation on March 17. In May the public can review and comment on the project’s Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which will document the cost-saving ideas and their impacts. The Federal Highway Administration will be asked to approve the Final Environmental Impact Statement in late 2022. Design work will begin in late 2022, with construction starting in 2025, pending funds being secured.
The purpose of the project is to create a seismically resilient Burnside Street lifeline crossing of the Willamette River that will remain fully operational and accessible for vehicles and other modes of transportation immediately following a major Cascadia Zone earthquake.
For project information, visit www.burnsidebridge.org. Multnomah County maintains the Burnside Bridge and leads the Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge project.