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Bidding is open for the Burnside Bridge Rehabilitation Plan, a potential multi-million dollar project that could last multiple years.

The Bridge Division of Multnomah County is looking for a consulting firm to conduct extensive preliminary studies, including inspection of specific structural and mechanical components of the bridge.

The county hopes the studies will demonstrate what aspects of the bridge need repair, said Elizabeth Buchanan, a civil engineer and an area manager for the county. The studies will help the county determine what seismic strategies it should take to better prepare the bridge for earthquakes, she said.

The studies will help determine the duration and cost of the project, Buchanan said. The project could be as extensive as the recent Morrison Bridge project, which saw a complete replacement of the bridge’s steel grading, or as minor as the current Broadway Bridge project, which mostly involves painting. Either way, construction will occur in phases, she said, so the bridge will remain partially open.

Bidding is expected to close May 31. Construction on the bridge is not expected to start for another five to 10 years.