The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay has executed a $25 million grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation, advancing the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port project.

It’s a milestone in a more than $2 billion effort to turn the southern Oregon port into a major shipping container entry point that would connect maritime shipping to a national rail network.

The fate of the project’s hoped-for federal grants has been uncertain amid the Trump administration’s push to slash federal grants.

The lead developer on the project, NorthPoint Development, a logistics company based in Kansas City, is matching the $25 million grant. The combined $50 million will allow the project to advance into environmental review, permitting and preliminary engineering, the port stated in a news release.

NorthPoint is set to develop the multi-berth container terminal on the North Spit of Coos Bay in a lease with the Port of Coos Bay.

“The market need for additional freight capacity and supply chain resilience hasn’t changed. If anything, it’s become more apparent,” Chad Meyer, president of NorthPoint Development, said in a news release. “This agreement helps us advance the ball and positions us to meet that demand.”

The is one of several recent federal and state investments to go to the project, including a $29.75 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program grant, an $11.25 million Port Infrastructure Development Program award and a $100 million award from the Oregon Legislature. NorthPoint Development’s $25 million contribution is the largest private investment in the project to date.

“Infrastructure projects of this scale require coordination and strong partnerships,” said Melissa Cribbins, executive director of the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port project. “The work behind this agreement represents the kind of sustained collaboration required to deliver projects of national significance.”

The post Port project gets $25 million federal grant appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Multnomah County is pursuing $5 million in federal funding to help pay for the design of a retrofit or replacement for the 111-year-old Stark Street Bridge. It spans the Sandy River and connects east Troutdale to the Historic Columbia River Highway.

Currently, the project is in the environmental review phase. The project team is seeking grants and other financial resources to advance this project into the design and construction phases.

Last month, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners approved a notice of intent, giving staff the green light to apply for a federal grant. It would come through the U.S. Department of Transportation‘s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program.

Notification of a potential grant award is expected in June, Multnomah County project manager Megan Neill said, adding that there is ample competition for the funding. Transportation projects face a lot of uncertainty at the federal level, Multnomah County spokesperson Sarah Hurwitz said.

“If we’re not successful, we would apply again the following year after receiving feedback from our application,” Neill said. “We’re tracking some other federal grant opportunities as well.”

The environmental review phase began last fall and is expected to continue into early 2027. The project team is exploring a range of options for either retrofitting or replacing the bridge with the goal of creating a modern crossing that fits into the natural area and meets safety standards. The team will evaluate those options against potential impacts.

“The biggest impact that we’re finding is that the bridge is a historic resource,” Neill said. “While it’s not on the (National Register of Historic Places), it has historic qualities in and of itself, so you have to treat it as such.”

The bridge is a contributing resource for the Historic Columbia River Highway, a national historic landmark. Some of the properties south of the bridge may have been used by the Portland Automobile Club when the bridge was built. The team will evaluate whether those properties have any formal historical qualities that need to be addressed, Neill said.

Multnomah County is using road funds to pay for environmental review. It is expected to cost between $2 million and $3.5 million, depending on the level of detail required, Neill said.

The project team has gathered public input on the bridge since last fall and will continue to do so through each phase.

Over several years, multiple car crashes involving the bridge’s supporting approaches have weakened the structural integrity, Hurwitz said. In 2024, the bridge was closed for six months to allow reconstruction of the north approach.

This past December, the county closed the bridge to all semi-trailers and commercial trucks that weigh more than 19 tons and are traveling from the Historic Columbia River Highway. The county made this change after semi-trucks repeatedly hit the bridge, frequently taking the turn onto it too quickly, a county press release states. These crashes often resulted in damage to the bridge or its approach. This new restriction will be in place until the bridge is retrofitted or replaced.

Next year, the county will consider input from the community and agency partners when it selects a preferred alternative for the design.

“We understand how important this crossing is to the Corbett and Troutdale community,” Neill said. “We also understand that any closure would significantly impact their daily lives, so we’re taking that into account.”

The goal will be to minimize the possible closure as much as possible.

The cost estimate for the design is $5 million to $6.5 million, Neill said. If funding were secured, the county could seek bids for the design work in summer 2027 and then select a firm in autumn. The design phase would start in early 2028.

The cost estimate for construction isn’t known yet. Depending on when the project becomes fully funded, construction could start in 2031.

The post Multnomah County seeking $5M grant for bridge project appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

A suburban clinic is on track to receive some upgrades next spring.

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners last week approved plans to upgrade the Rockwood Community Health Center. Medical, dental and pharmacy services are provided at the facility, which is located at 2020 S.E. 182nd Ave. in Gresham.

Multnomah County purchased the Rockwood facility from Care Access LLC (CareOregon) for $1 million in 2023. The county previously rented the facility.

Scott Edwards Architecture designed the building improvements for the county.

A general contractor will be selected through a bid process. Bids are due by Oct. 21, Multnomah County spokesperson Sarah Dean stated in an email.

The project scope includes renovating the entrance and clinic lobby; replacing the roof, the rooftop heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system units; building a small addition for a new electrical room; upgrading the electrical service; installing an emergency generator; completing other building system improvements; and applying interior finishes. The work will also involve adding electric vehicle charging stations.

The lobby will have a window wall to add more light into the space, Multnomah County project manager Brett Taute said.

The $6.8 million project is fully funded, mostly by the county. However, a $1.97 million federal Health Resources and Services Administration grant is helping pay the cost.

Initially crews will focus on performing site work and constructing the electrical room addition. Then the facility will close temporarily next year from April through September. During that time the team will renovate the entrance and lobby, tackle roofing upgrades, and perform heating/cooling and electrical work. Most of the clinic’s staff and programming will move temporarily to two different buildings – the Multnomah County East building at 600 N.E. Eighth St. and the Mid County Health Center at 12710 S.E. Division St.

Construction during the remainder of the project will take place by closing only portions of the building.

Active construction is expected to take 12 to 14 months, according to the staff report.

The post Rockwood clinic set for $6.8M renovation next spring appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.