91视频

Multnomah County has authorized the Burnside Bridge replacement project team to enter the right-of-way phase, which includes acquiring properties necessary for construction of the new bridge. The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on Thursday authorized the county鈥檚 Transportation Division to begin negotiations for acquiring the first property.

The project will produce a new, seismically resilient bridge. In 2016, the county requested a feasibility study, during which officials considered approximately 120 different options, including a seismic retrofit of the existing bridge. After the decision was made to demolish the bridge and build a new one, the design phase began in fall 2023.

On Thursday, the board approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between Multnomah County and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) for right-of-way services. Jon Henrichsen, county engineer and Transportation Division project director, said the IGA will allow the project team to begin the right-of-way phase. The IGA identifies the roles and responsibilities of the county and ODOT as well as ensures ODOT staff will be paid for their work during the phase.

The estimated cost of the right-of-way phase is $34.6 million, which includes all property acquisitions. The total cost will be dependent on properties鈥� assessed values, negotiations with property owners, and tenant relocations, Henrichsen said.

The board also authorized the Transportation Division to begin negotiations for acquiring properties necessary for the project. Both temporary and permanent property acquisitions will be sought on Southeast Second Avenue. The property offers the only access point for demolition of the existing bridge and construction of the new bridge鈥檚 east approach. The future acquisition will include a temporary construction easement for approximately seven years to facilitate bridge demolition and construction, and a small permanent easement for the new bridge facility and future maintenance needs.

鈥淭he impacted property will require relocation of the existing tenant,鈥� Henrichsen said.

The project team anticipates tenant relocation and acquisition of this property to require approximately three years. The temporary and permanent acquisitions for this site are estimated to cost $17 million.

Following the completion of appraisals, the project team will negotiate with the property owner on what the compensation should be for relocation of the tenant. Once an agreement has been reached, the project team will return to the board for approval of the settlement 鈥� likely next year.

The project team will return to the board later this year for authorization to pursue other property acquisitions that are not expected to take as long to complete. All right-of-way acquisitions must be complete before the start of construction.

The board also accepted staffers鈥� proposal to support the Community Design Advisory Group鈥檚 recommendation for the eastside long-span bridge type. The inverted Y design is a triangular-shaped, cable-stay tower that extends to a single column. The tower will be on the bridge鈥檚 east side, serving as a gateway for downtown Portland. The cables will cascade from the tower down to the bridge creating a cohesive transition from the east side to the remainder of the bridge, a Multnomah County press release states.

The project is still in early design. Construction is expected to start in fall 2027.