Slayden-Sundt, a general contractor hired by Multnomah County, will set up a construction staging area for the Sellwood Bridge project beginning Monday, December 12.  Construction will lead to some changes in public access for areas near the bridge and for river users.

On the west side of the bridge, the access road from Highway 43 to the former Staff Jennings boat store and Powers Marine Park parking area will close permanently on December 12. The Staff Jennings property was acquired as part of the project.  New parking spaces for the park will be built on the west side of the highway before the project is completed at the end of 2015.  Public access to the old Sellwood Ferry ramp next to Staff Jennings and Powers Marine Park will close during construction.

The nearest public boat ramps are at Willamette Park at S.W. Macadam Avenue and S.W. Nebraska Street in Portland and at Jefferson Street in Milwaukie.

The contractor will operate a barge during December and January to install river piers for a detour bridge.  The barge will remain through January and will be lighted to be visible to river traffic.  The main navigation channel will be marked and will remain open to river traffic at all times during the winter in-water work.  River users should note that a “no wake” zone will be in effect within 500 feet of the bridge, to ensure the safety of river users and construction workers.  Boaters should reduce speed in the zone and maintain a safe distance from other boats and construction areas

In-water work on the river piers for the detour bridge will begin later this month.  Next summer the contractor will slide the river spans of the existing bridge 40 feet and attach them to the temporary river piers to create a detour bridge.  Moving the old bridge out of the way will allow the contractor to build the new bridge in one phase, saving up to one year in construction time and reducing project costs as much as $10 million.  Construction of the new bridge will begin in July 2012.

Multnomah County maintains the Sellwood Bridge, five other Willamette River bridges and 300 miles of roads.  For project information, including field work updates, visit www.sellwoodbridge.org.