Groundbreaking event kicks off construction of the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge
June 30, 2011
Bridge is the first built over Willamette River in 40+ years
After nearly a decade of planning and community outreach, project partners today celebrated the start of construction on the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge. The bridge is the first to be built over the Willamette River in more than 40 years.
It is also the first of its kind, with light rail, buses, a future Portland Streetcar and wide bike and pedestrian paths—and no private vehicles.
US Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Kurt Schrader attended the event along with other project partners.
"This project will continue our region's proactive approach to transportation," said Congressman Blumenauer. "It provides thousands of jobs while improving connections for SE Portland and North Clackamas County. I applaud TriMet and our region for getting this project moving and I'm eager to see it get underway."
The Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project (PMLR) is the agency's sixth MAX construction project and will expand the rail system to 60 miles.
"The bridge and the overall project will link east and west, improve and expand transit, and most importantly, create up to 14,000 jobs when we most need them," said TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane.
The PMLR project is the second MAX extension into Clackamas County after the MAX Green Line opened in 2009.
"As the population of Clackamas County and the entire Portland region continue to grow, this new light-rail line will provide increasingly valuable connections for Clackamas County residents who work elsewhere in the region and for regional residents who choose to work and play in Clackamas County," said Clackamas County Commissioner Jim Bernard.
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has helped make this project a reality.
"ODOT has been a partner in every light rail project in the Portland-metro area, participating in funding and providing public right-of-way to make high capacity transit possible," said Oregon Transportation Commission Chair Gail Achterman.
Construction of the bridge begins Friday, July 1.
About the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge
The light rail bridge will be the first cable-stayed bridge for the region, extending 1,720 feet (.326 miles) over the Willamette River. It is the first of its kind, carrying light rail, buses, bikes, pedestrians and a future Portland Streetcar extension, but no private vehicles. The bridge alignment is SW Porter Street on the west side and SE Sherman Street on the east side.
See it live
Bridge cameras have been installed at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and at Oregon Health & Science University to capture the bridge construction. Visit trimet.org/pmbridgecams for live and time-lapsed video.
About the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project
The 7.3-mile project is the region's sixth MAX construction project to be built and extends from the terminus of the MAX Green and Yellow lines at Portland State University to South Waterfront, SE Portland, Milwaukie and Park Avenue in Clackamas County.
The project includes 10 stations and the first bridge constructed over the Willamette River in more than 40 years. It will create up to 14,000 direct and indirect jobs and generate up to $573 million in personal earnings. Federal funds will pay for half of the $1.49 billion project; state and local partners are funding the balance. TriMet's share is less than 5 percent of the project budget and will not be needed until FY2013. The line is set to open in September 2015.
The overall project is still in the Final Design phase. The Federal Transit Administration has approved early construction work on the bridge, as construction in the Willamette River is limited due to migrating fish. The "fish window" allows in-river work from July 1 through October 31 each year.
Project partners
Clackamas County, Metro, City of Milwaukie, Multnomah County, City of Oregon City, Oregon Department of Transportation, City of Portland, Portland Development Commission and TriMet.
For more information about the project, please visit trimet.org/pm.