August 13, 2024

This week the public is invited to attend, watch and participate in the Community Design Advisory Group meeting for the Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge Project. The group has been meeting regularly during the Design Phase. During this meeting, the committee will finalize its deliberations on making a bridge type recommendation to the project team. This is a decision-making meeting for this committee and the goal is to arrive at a bridge type recommendation. Once the committee makes its recommendation, the project team will present a bridge type recommendation to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners in early September. The Board is expected to make a final decision on the bridge type in September 2024.  

The Community Design Advisory Group is made up of 20 community members who represent a broad range of interests and backgrounds from the community. The group will provide input to the project team on bridge aesthetics including colors, materials, lighting as well as the shape of certain features on the bridge. This group will meet regularly throughout the Design Phase. For information on the group and a list of the members, visit: https://www.multco.us/earthquake-ready-burnside-bridge/community-design-advisory-group

When: Thursday, August 15, 2024 

Where: In-person at David Evans and Associates, Inc., 2100 S River Parkway, Portland 97201

Parking: There is paid on-street parking on S. River Dr. and S. River Pkwy until 7 p.m.

Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Virtual option: Click here to watch live online. 

Public Comment: There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the meeting. Each person will have three minutes for testimony. If you’d like to sign up for public comment, please email the project team at least 24 hours in advance: burnsidebridge@multco.us. Include "CDAG Testimony” in the subject line and your name, contact information and how you would like to provide a comment – virtually or in-person - in the body of the email. A project team member will contact you with instructions. Written testimony submitted in advance will be summarized during the meeting and distributed to committee members.

Background: Right now, none of downtown Portland’s Willamette River vehicular bridges will be immediately usable after a major earthquake. Multnomah County is leading an effort to replace the current Burnside Bridge with one that can withstand a Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake. It’s currently one of the largest earthquake resilience projects in Oregon.

For more information on the project, visit: https://www.multco.us/earthquake-ready-burnside-bridge