Caruthers Bridge

Caruthers Bridge
Caruthers Bridge construction site: barges are building underwater foundations. In the foreground is the Ross Island Bridge.
Official name	Caruthers Bridge (name only during construction; permanent name not yet chosen)[1]
Carries	TriMet MAX light rail and buses; bicycles and pedestrians
Crosses	Willamette River and surface streets
Locale	Portland, Oregon
Design	cable-stayed[1]
Total length	1,720 feet (520 m)[1]
Height	180 feet (55 m)[2]
Longest span	780 feet (240 m)[2]
Number of spans	3
Piers in water	2
Construction begin	June 2011
Construction end	September 2015 (projected)
Coordinates	45°30′21″N 122°39′54″W / 45.5057°N 122.665°W / 45.5057; -122.665Coordinates: 45°30′21″N 122°39′54″W / 45.5057°N 122.665°W / 45.5057; -122.665

The Caruthers Bridge (also called the Portland–Milwaukie light rail bridge) is the working name for a bridge currently under construction across the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States. The bridge will carry MAX light rail, the Portland Streetcar, buses, bicycles, and pedestrians. Private cars and trucks will not be permitted on the bridge. The bridge is scheduled to open in the fall of 2015 and will be the first new bridge built across the Willamette River since 1973.^[2][3] A permanent name for the bridge has not yet been chosen.^[1]

Planned route

The Caruthers Bridge east landing during initial construction in July 2011.

The bridge will carry the MAX Orange Line across the Willamette River south of the Marquam Bridge just north of southeast Caruthers Street. It will connect a planned MAX station at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) on the east side of the river with a new OHSU/South Waterfront Campus MAX station on the west side.^[2] OHSU is the city's largest employer,^[4] while OMSI is one of the city's largest tourist and educational venues, and the new bridge will facilitate the connection of both to the regional MAX light rail system. The Orange Line will continue south from OMSI to northern Oak Grove and north from South Waterfront into downtown Portland.

Design

City planners initially focused on three designs: cable-stayed, wave-frame girder, and through arch,^[5] but the design committee eventually recommended a hybrid suspension/cable-stayed design.^[6] Despite the recommendation, TriMet chose a cable-stayed option in order to reduce cost.^[7]

Construction

Construction of the bridge is estimated to cost $134.6 million, to be paid for by federal grants, Oregon Lottery revenue, and TriMet. Construction of the bridge began in June 2011, with a slow/no wake zone put in place to ensure the safety of river users and bridge construction workers. Beginning in July 2011, an exclusion area around the in-water bridge construction site went into effect. The bridge is scheduled for completion in 2015.^[2][3][8]

The project received required approval from both the Portland and Milwaukie city councils and Oregon's Metro regional governmental agency in 2008.^[8][9] TriMet approved a $127 million contract to build the bridge in December 2010.^[1]

See also

• Gibbs Street Pedestrian Bridge: another new bridge under construction to be located 600 metres (0.37 mi) south of the Caruthers Bridge

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Rose, Joseph (December 8, 2010). "TriMet board gives greenlight to Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail bridge funding". The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/12/trimet_approves_portland-milwa.html. Retrieved December 11, 2010. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Portland–Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge Fact Sheet/December 2010" (PDF). TriMet. December 2010. http://trimet.org/pdfs/pm/PMLR_Bridge_Fact_Sheet_Dec2010.pdf. Retrieved December 11, 2010. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Rose, Joseph (June 30, 2011). "Construction begins on new light-rail bridge in Portland that will go up 'piece by piece'". The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/06/construction_begins_thursday_o.html. Retrieved June 30, 2011. 
4. ^ http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/10/a_new_bridge_portlandstyle.html
5. ^ "New Portland bridge designed for commuters, not cars". SmartBrief. 2008-10-08. http://www.smartbrief.com/news/ASCE/storyDetails.jsp?issueid=537DA6E4-A04D-4C7E-8ED9-A155F6C29628&copyid=AEF3D05D-0818-45C8-BFE4-C97ED3083F66. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 
6. ^ Rivera, Dylan (2009-03-04). "Portland has designs on a new bridge". The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/03/portland_has_designs_on_a_new.html. Retrieved 2009-03-06. 
7. ^ Weinstein, Nathalie (June 24, 2009). "New bridge will have cable-stayed design: Advisory committee chooses cheaper option for multiuse span across Willamette River". Daily Journal of Commerce. http://www.djcoregon.com/news/2009/06/24/New-bridge-will-have-cablestayed-design/. Retrieved December 23, 2010. 
8. ^ ^{a b} Larabee, Mark (2008-07-17). "Portland council approves Willamette bridge, MAX alignment". The Oregonian. http://blog.oregonlive.com/portlandcityhall/2008/07/portland_council_approves_will.html. Retrieved 2008-07-17. 
9. ^ Graham, Matthew (2008-07-24). "Metro OKs Portland-to-Milwaukie light rail line alignment". Portland Tribune. http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=121694865717507100. Retrieved 2008-07-28. 

External links

• Portland–Milwaukie Light Rail Project on TriMet website