Hey Chris,
I couldn't make it either, but one of my readers provided this report.

The OPB report on the meeting states: "The cost for repair or replacing the bridge will range from $90 to $150 million."

The David Evans analysis (late 2005) gives the following costs for short-term rehab: $13.1 million to allow trucks and TriMet buses plus $4-6 million to mitigate risk of west pier displacement. (2006 dollars) This would extend the life of the bridge for 10-15 years.

David Evans and Associates, Inc. was not asked to estimate the cost for rehabilitating the bridge per the Jim Howell proposal. The County or Metro should pay David Evans to extend their report in order to answer that question. The $90 - $150 figure quoted in the press reflects somebody's agenda and assumptions.

Let's get the answers so we can proceed with providing a good bicycle route and restoring transit across the bridge, based on reliable information.

Here, hear.

However, details:

What would it could to provide replacement ferry service for a year (including the costs to construct docks/berths on each side of the river, procure a boat and pay the crew)? I assume the ferry would be free... but if not, would $1 a crossing or something along those lines make any difference in the overall budget?

What would it cost to include wider sidewalks on a rehabilitated birdge, ala the new Hawthorne Bridge, vs. the under-deck option?

What would it cost to reinforce the bridge and ready it for the installation of streetcar tracks?

Does the county still have the contractual authority and budget to process a contract amendment to allow David Evans to tack on these questions to its analysis?

Garlynn,
I suspect the cost of temporary ferry service for cars would be too high. My proposal was for two small ferrys. Each would carry one bus at a time as well as bikes and pedestrians.

I also believe that instead of running the streetcar across the bridge it would be more productive to extend it south to Lake Oswego on the existing Willamette Shore RR Line. A cross-town bus route across the bridge with efficient transfer capabilities to the streetcar line would attract more ridership.

I was at the meeting. Commissioner Rojo de Steffey gave some opening remarks, and then Ian Cannon, a bridge engineer from Multnomah County, presented a summary of the technical problems with the bridge (mostly related to the west end approach being built on a slide area)and the plan for moving forward. He discussed four phases: 1)Planning (what to do)2006-2007 2)Type,Size, Location preliminary design 2008 3)Final design 2009-2010 and 4)Construction 2011-2014.

I heard an estimate given which differs from the OPB report mentioned above. The numbers were $40-$50M for a rehab, and $110-$140M for a new bridge.

The county currently has approximately $20M in hand which should cover phases one through three. As I heard it, Federal funding is involved which establishes rules for the planning process and the EIS, CH2M is contracted for engineering cunsulation and preparation of the craft EIS.

The county is still looking for people to be on the Citizens Task Force, which will be part of the public planning process over the next two years. In particular they stated a need for Sellwood area business owners. They also want people who can represent multiple constituencies on the task force, e.g., A Sellwood business owner, who is active in the Neighborhood association, and is in the PTA for the local middle school.

The presentation was strong on laying out all the complexities of dealing with the bridge (neighborhood impacts, commuter traffic, connections, trucks, bicycles, pedestrians, ) but was insistent in repeating that all options were open and nothing was decided.

Richard

I fail to see the high cost, as proposed. Ross Island upgrade, a bridge nearly twice as large was $38 million. St John's, also much larger was around that figure. Should not the concrete piers, steel truss and deck beams be usable? Everyone wants wider sidewalks and wider lanes, so that does mean a reworking of the structure. Also in these times seismic upgrade has become de rigeur.

I do note, however, the specific additional problems of the Sellwood Bridge: The concrete approaches, over a hundred years old would need complete replacement, with some steel. The West approach/intersection will probably be reconfigured and the potential ground movement problem solved. The latter problem may be resolved if a station is built on that end, and the intersection and cloverleafs incorporated into the change. Then only a deep slide would affect it, I think. Not that the present intersection is terrible; people are used to it.

The cost of rebuilding the MLK viaduct, similar in size, and requiring an added detour has come in at about $50 million. I suppose as the time marches on the cost will go up..