February 2011
NEWS
County Commission approves steel
deck arch design for new Sellwood
Bridge
By Lee Perlman
The Southwest Portland Post
In late January, the Multnomah Coun-
ty Commission unanimously approved
a design for a new Sellwood Bridge,
one with a brand new west side ap-
proach system with lower cost and less
environmental impact than a proposal
approved late last year.
As before, the bridge will have a Deck
Arch design, with an open top deck free
of superstructure. It will probably be
made of steel, although County plan-
ners are still considering concrete as a
material.
The biggest new change is the west
side interchange. In place of a large,
roundabout curve to take traffic to
southbound Highway 43 without stop-
ping, there will be a series of traffic
signals. Reducing the “footprint” of the
bridge will reduce by more than half the
needed excavation into the hillside to
the west, reducing the “rock cut” from
88,000 square feet to 40,000.
Another change is the elimination, for
now, of tracks and an approach ramp for
a future streetcar line on the bridge, at a
saving of $5 million and $6 to $8 million,
respectively.
County spokesperson Mike Pullen
said that these items could be added
later. Interestingly, Portland Mayor Sam
Adams has been a consistent proponent
of streetcars but has also called for ef-
forts to reduce the Sellwood Bridge’s
cost.
The changes reduce the cost from $331
million to $290 million. Project manager
Ian Cannon told the Commission that
the changes “retain functionality and
safety for all modes of transportation,
and reflect a community consensus.”
The changes were endorsed by the
project’s Community Advisory Com-
mittee. Heather Cook, a Sellwood resi-
dent and member of the CAC, thanked
the Commission for “listening to the
CAC.” She did urge them to “commit
to” rather than merely “consider” a se-
ries of projects on the east side designed
to ensure safety for all modes.
Diana Richardson, a Sellwood com-
mercial property owned, was more criti-
cal. The construction work will involve
the temporary displacement of some of
her commercial tenants. “It would be
a hardship for them,” she said. “Some
just won’t return, and that would be a
hardship for me.”
Terry Parker, a consistent critic of non-
auto transportation, complained that
such interests had had a disproportion-
ate voice in the design of the project. He
applauded the removal of the streetcar
facilities, but also called for narrowing
of pedestrian and bicycle lanes and the
elimination of viewing areas on the
bridge.
The Commission gave lavish praise
to everyone involved in the project.
Commission Chair Jeff Cogen, who had
feuded openly with Adams and accused
A new steel deck arch design (with the
provision for using concrete if neces-
sary) was approved by the Multnomah
County Commission in January.
(Photo courtesy of Multnomah County)
the mayor of blocking the project, gave a
brief acknowledgement to “our partners
the City of Portland.” Cogen added,
“This brings us much closer to actually
getting a new bridge.”
Commissioner Deborah Kafoury said,
“We’re doing what the public wants
us to do.” However, she urged staff to
continue working with Richardson to
have the least possible impact on her
and her tenants. “We’ve bought a lot of
good will with this project,” Kafoury
said. “We need to continue to retain it.
Even with compensation, displacement
is a hardship.”
Cogen said that staff is seeking to gain
a solution without using property con-
demnation, and aiming for a “win-win”
solution. Pullen later told The Post that
the CAC would probably reconvene in
March to look at design details for the
bridge. Construction should begin by
late 2012, Pullen said.
The Southwest Portland Post • 5