More than a year after the project began, construction on the Chambers Street bridge has finished.

Orange cones, construction equipment and lane closures on the bridge have been a daily reality for drivers since March 2025 as crews worked on a seismic retrofit.

On May 22, Eugene Public Works‘ Engineering Division completed updates to the structure to reinforce it and ensure readiness for a possibly sizable earthquake, according to a press release issued by the city.

The work encountered “significant delays due to unexpected permits needed to access the Union Pacific property below the bridge,” the release stated. The process of acquiring the necessary permits stalled the work until the fall of 2025.

The $4.3 million project was funded primarily via a federal Surface Transportation Block Grant, which is administered by the Oregon Department of Transportation. Local funds were also used.

With the bridge seismically retrofitted and the street surface restriped, Roosevelt Boulevard has reopened to through traffic. All travel lanes have returned to normal.

Marion Suitor, public affairs manager for Eugene Public Works, said the department is grateful to the community members who “endured long lane closures and traffic delays for far too long.”

“Their patience was definitely tested,” Suitor said. “I think everyone is happy to have this project in the rear view, knowing we’ve added to our community resilience in case of emergency.”

Additional seismic upgrades were completed for the Bailey Hill Road bridge that crosses Amazon Creek near West 11th Avenue. That $1.3 million project was completed in late 2025 with funds also coming from a Surface Transportation Block Grant and local sources.

Jordan Vesper, a civil engineer in Eugene Public Works’ Engineering Division and a bridge retrofit project manager, said these projects create stronger structures able to withstand seismic forces.

“It is vital that emergency services will be able to reach residential sections of the city even in the event of a major earthquake,” Vesper said. “By completing these projects proactively, we ensure that emergency aid can be provided quickly, efficiently and effectively.”

Next, the Goodpasture Island Road bridge, over Delta Highway, will receive a seismic retrofit. That project is scheduled for the end of 2027.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in The Register-Guard and then was distributed on the USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.

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