TRAFFIC ALERT: The Stark Street Bridge is now open to the public. Motorized vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians can now safely use the bridge. This comes after six months of crucial emergency work to repair and rebuild the north approach that collapsed in September, 2024.
Multnomah County wants to thank the community for its patience these last few months. The County recognizes that because there are few alternative routes in that location, the closure of the Stark Street Bridge had a significant impact on the Corbett and the East County communities. The County was committed to working as quickly as possible to reopen the bridge.
“The Stark Street Bridge serves as a critical connection for East County residents and access for those visiting our scenic areas,” Multnomah County District 4 Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon said. “Thank you to the East County community for enduring the closure while these emergency repairs were made and a tip of the hat to our Multnomah County crews and project staff for a job well done!”
The estimated $1.9 million emergency repair project — finished on time and under budget — and was a swift collaboration between multiple agencies.
“Due to the emergency nature of the project, permitting processes which typically take over a year were accelerated,” Multnomah County Project Manager Sara Jeffrey said. “We want to thank the Oregon Department of Transportation, State Historic Preservation Office, U.S. Forest Service and impacted utilities for their partnership throughout this process. Finally, we want to give a special thanks to our contractor, Goodfellow Brothers, Inc., and its subcontractors who worked through the winter and challenging conditions to safely reopen the bridge.”
Upcoming celebration
Come learn about the crucial emergency repair work of the north bridge approach that collapsed in September 2024.
WHEN: Monday, March 10
TIME: 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
WHERE: The event will start on the southeast side of the bridge and continue to the northwest side. S.E. Stark will be closed at S.E. Kerslake Road. Please drive to that closure and tell staff you’re arriving for the event. You’ll be ushered through the closure. Drive all the way until you see the bridge and park near the Riverview Restaurant. Please pull as far off the road as possible. A parking map is attached.
SPEAKERS:
- Multnomah County Project Manager Sara Jeffrey
- Multnomah County Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon
- East County community member Victoria Purvine
RSVP:
- Community members and news outlets please RSVP to: pressoffice@multco.us
Note* The event will close the bridge for a few short hours.
Background:
On Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024 the Stark Street Bridge in the Columbia River Gorge closed due to a supporting stone wall that partially collapsed. It remained closed until March 6, 2025. The Historic Columbia River Highway entrance to the Stark Street Bridge where the wall collapsed was structurally compromised, was unsafe to put vehicles on and needed to be replaced. The County started work the minute the bridge wall collapse was discovered, working non-stop with engineers, biologists, historical resource experts and a contractor to evaluate the situation and figure out the best way to repair the bridge.
The partial collapse was caused by a series of crashes by vehicles and large trucks over the last decade that weakened the supporting wall. The County also discovered 6 to 8-inch holes in the bridge deck, which were easier to detect with traffic off the bridge. The County also found that the opposite side retaining wall was in danger of collapse.
Multnomah County secured an under-deck unit to fix the holes in the deck and worked with a contractor to replace and rebuild the north bridge approach.
What we are doing longer term
The County was already working on the preliminary steps to replace or significantly rehabilitate the bridge because of its condition and lack of capacity. In the future, the County will need to make more permanent repairs either as part of a bridge replacement or through a project to build a new permanent approach.
Funding shortage
The Association of Oregon Counties released The 2024 County Roads Needs Study on September 26, 2024 and presented the report to the Joint Legislative Committee on Transportation. Overall, Oregon counties face a shortfall of $834 million annually primarily for operations and maintenance. Multnomah County manages 269 miles of roads, 21 bridges, 1,700 culverts and six large bridges over the Willamette River. Officials estimate 47% of the County’s road surface area is in need of replacement to remain functional long term. The County will continue to share concerns, priorities and ideas for solutions to help state legislators build a transportation funding package in 2025 that will support the needs of local communities.
Multnomah County maintains the Stark Street Bridge on the Sandy River. For information, visit: https://www.multco.us/bridges.
