Multnomah County will hold a press availability on Tuesday, February 4 for news outlets to get a firsthand look at the process of building the test shaft (foundation) for the new Burnside Bridge. The test shaft project manager will also be available for interviews. This work is part of the Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge Project which is now in the Design Phase.
When: Tuesday, February 4
Where: Tom McCall Waterfront Park pathway, south of Ankeny Pump Station
Who: Test Shaft Project Manager Ryan Rucker will be available for interviews
Time: 10 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. – interviews start promptly at 10
Visuals: Footage and pictures of the construction process to build a test foundation (large cranes, drilling equipment)
News outlets please RSVP to: pressoffice@multco.us
Since early January, crews have been prepping the site for the drilling work to begin. Last week, that work started. The test foundation will go down approximately 125 feet. While crews drill, they will be excavating the soil. A crane will then lift steel reinforcement cages into the ground and concrete will be poured into the 10-foot diameter hole. Once the concrete is set, crews will test the strength of the foundation.
Building a test foundation is an important step before construction. This work helps engineers understand and verify how designs for the new Burnside Bridge foundations will interact with the soil. The findings of this work will also help the team determine whether 10 feet is the appropriate diameter for the new bridge foundations.
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.