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.

The post Eugene bridge reopens after long construction project appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Since Scott | Edwards Architecture was founded in 1998, the firm has grown a lot.

“I tracked the history of our firm and every office we’ve been,” principal Sid Scott told an assembled audience last week. “There have been 10 derivations of this office. It started 22 years ago in my basement in a 150-square-foot space, and 150 square feet might be generous.”

By now, the firm has 85 employees – so many that the headquarters at 2525 E. Burnside St. can’t comfortably accommodate them all. But that is about to change.

Scott spoke Friday during a ceremony celebrating the start of a project to update and expand the headquarters to hold slightly less than 17,000 square feet. Joseph Hughes Construction will serve as general contractor for the project, which will include a three-story addition.

The remodeled space will feature cross-laminated timber panels made by Canadian firm Structurlam as well as a photovoltaic-ready roof, a roof garden and a new outdoor patio area. The existing building, meanwhile, will gain improvements including a new entry vestibule, glazing, stucco, paint and more.

Joe Hughes’ firm first remodeled the existing building in 1998. It has since been renovated three more times.

“It is complicated, but it’s like exploratory surgery – we’ve got good shoring and good surveying to keep it safe,” Hughes said. “This roof structure will stay the same, so when we open this part up we’ll have new stairs and an open stairwell to the upper floors and then we’ll have plenty of natural light coming from above.”

Also, the existing structure will receive a seismic retrofit.

“It’s a total remake,” Hughes said.

Peter Grimm, a principal with Scott | Edwards Architecture, said it’s important to continue improving the Kerns neighborhood.

“Really, the biggest thing for us on what is driving this project is we’ve already been here for close to 15 years,” he said. “We want to invest and make this showcase for the neighborhood to say, ‘Look, we’re going to stay here.’ We’re part of the community and we’re tied in and we want to continue to be good stewards of our little piece of the block and be present while the neighborhood continues to evolve. That’s probably the thing we’re most excited about.”

Grimm noted that the firm could have built a larger addition, but chose not to. The team simply wanted to ensure stability for the long term.

“We’re not maxing out the site,” he said. “We didn’t have any desire to do that. No doubt there will be larger buildings that continue to pop up around us. I think a lot of design firms have chosen to locate on the inner eastside for the same reasons. There’s a lot of energy, but you can still have a good quality of life, if you will. It’s a little bit easier than being downtown, so we feel like it’s a good spot for us for the next generation of this company.”

No green building certification will be sought, but the office will serve as a living laboratory with sustainable features to show potential clients.

The post Portland architecture firm expanding its headquarters appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Washington County is currently carrying out a $30 million seismic retrofit and renovation of its Charles Cameron Public Services Building in downtown Hillsboro. In this video segment, County Project Manager Bassam Khalifeh talks about various aspects of the project, including the seismic upgrade and new groundwater pump system. Besides the video, you can also check out a photo gallery from the job site here.

The post VIDEO: County carries out seismic work appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.