Contact us.

What We Do

We manage and maintain six Willamette River Bridges and 22 smaller bridges elsewhere in the county. Our primary goals are:

  • to provide safe transportation facilities for the public

  • to protect the public investment by preserving our historic bridges

  • to help plan for the transportation needs of the 500,000 new residents expected in the Portland area by the year 2020

Our facilities serve Willamette River users, pedestrians, cyclists, automobile commuters, buses, and commercial users.

Black and white image of the bridge operator's house on the Burnside Bridge, with parts of downtown and Marquam Hill in background. House is two stories with a cupola on top and a long portico supported pillars emerging from the second floor.
"Detail of bridge operator's house looking south. - Burnside Bridge, Spanning Willamette River at Burnside Street, Portland, Multnomah County, OR" Library of Congress, Prints And Photographs Division, HAER OR-101-14

Who We Are

We are:

  • the operators who raise and lower the bridges

  • the maintenance workers who inspect the bridges, respond to emergencies, and perform maintenance and repairs

  • the engineers who are responsible for design and construction of major repairs, renovations, and upgrades


We are a part of the Transportation Division, located within the Department of Community Services.