Caruthers Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Caruthers Bridge is the working name for a bridge currently under construction across the Willamette River
in Portland
, Oregon
, United States
. The bridge will carry MAX light rail, the Portland Streetcar
, buses, bicycles, and pedestrians. Private cars and trucks will not be permitted on the bridge. The bridge is scheduled to open in the fall of 2015 and will be the first new bridge built across the Willamette River since 1973. A permanent name for the bridge has not yet been chosen.
across the Willamette River south of the Marquam Bridge just north of southeast Caruthers Street. It will connect a planned MAX station at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
(OMSI) on the east side of the river with a new OHSU
/South Waterfront
Campus MAX station on the west side.
OHSU is the city's largest employer, while OMSI is one of the city's largest tourist and educational venues, and the new bridge will facilitate the connection of both to the regional MAX light rail
system. The Orange Line will continue south from OMSI to northern Oak Grove and north from South Waterfront into downtown Portland
.
, wave-frame girder
, and through arch, but the design committee eventually recommended a hybrid suspension
/cable-stayed
design. Despite the recommendation, TriMet
chose a cable-stayed option in order to reduce cost.
revenue, and TriMet
. Construction of the bridge began in June 2011, with a slow/no wake zone put in place to ensure the safety of river users and bridge construction workers. Beginning in July 2011, an exclusion area around the in-water bridge construction site went into effect. The bridge is scheduled for completion in 2015.
The project received required approval from both the Portland and Milwaukie
city councils and Oregon's Metro
regional governmental agency in 2008. TriMet approved a $127 million contract to build the bridge in December 2010.
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The bridge will carry MAX light rail, the Portland Streetcar
Portland Streetcar
The Portland Streetcar is a streetcar system in Portland, Oregon, that opened in 2001 and serves areas surrounding downtown Portland. It is currently a single line that is almost long and serves some 12,000 daily riders, but a second line is expected to open in 2012.As with the heavier-duty MAX...
, buses, bicycles, and pedestrians. Private cars and trucks will not be permitted on the bridge. The bridge is scheduled to open in the fall of 2015 and will be the first new bridge built across the Willamette River since 1973. A permanent name for the bridge has not yet been chosen.
Planned route
The bridge will carry the MAX Orange LineMAX Orange Line
The MAX Orange Line is a planned light rail line for the Metropolitan Area Express light rail system in Portland, Oregon, USA. It is currently under construction. The line is the second part of a two-phase transportation plan known as the South Corridor Project, bringing light rail service to...
across the Willamette River south of the Marquam Bridge just north of southeast Caruthers Street. It will connect a planned MAX station at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a museum located in Portland, Oregon, United States. It contains two auditoriums, including an IMAX Dome theatre, and a variety of hands-on permanent exhibits focused on natural sciences, industry, and technology...
(OMSI) on the east side of the river with a new OHSU
Oregon Health & Science University
Oregon Health & Science University is a public university in Oregon with a main campus, including two hospitals, in Portland and a smaller campus in Hillsboro...
/South Waterfront
South Waterfront
The South Waterfront is a high-rise district under construction on former brownfield industrial land in the South Portland neighborhood south of downtown Portland, Oregon, U.S. It is one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in the United States...
Campus MAX station on the west side.
OHSU is the city's largest employer, while OMSI is one of the city's largest tourist and educational venues, and the new bridge will facilitate the connection of both to the regional MAX light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system. The Orange Line will continue south from OMSI to northern Oak Grove and north from South Waterfront into downtown Portland
Downtown Portland
Downtown Portland, the city center of Portland, Oregon, United States, is located on the west bank of the Willamette River. It is in the northeastern corner of the southwest section of the city and is where most of the city's high-rise buildings are found....
.
Design
City planners initially focused on three designs: cable-stayedCable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
, wave-frame girder
Girder bridge
A girder bridge, in general, is a bridge built of girders placed on bridge abutments and foundation piers. In turn, a bridge deck is built on top of the girders in order to carry traffic. There are several different subtypes of girder bridges:...
, and through arch, but the design committee eventually recommended a hybrid suspension
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
/cable-stayed
Cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
design. Despite the recommendation, TriMet
TriMet
TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
chose a cable-stayed option in order to reduce cost.
Construction
Construction of the bridge is estimated to cost $134.6 million, to be paid for by federal grants, Oregon LotteryOregon Lottery
The Oregon Lottery is run by the government of Oregon. It is a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association .- History :The Oregon Lottery was enabled by an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, approved by voters in the 1984 general election. The Lottery began the next year, eventually offering...
revenue, and TriMet
TriMet
TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
. Construction of the bridge began in June 2011, with a slow/no wake zone put in place to ensure the safety of river users and bridge construction workers. Beginning in July 2011, an exclusion area around the in-water bridge construction site went into effect. The bridge is scheduled for completion in 2015.
The project received required approval from both the Portland and Milwaukie
Milwaukie, Oregon
Milwaukie is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. A very small portion of the city extends into Multnomah County. The population was 20,291 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1848 on the banks of the Willamette River, the city, known as the Dogwood City of the West, was incorporated in...
city councils and Oregon's Metro
Metro (Oregon regional government)
Metro, formerly known as Metropolitan Service District, is the regional governmental agency for the Oregon portion of the Portland metropolitan area...
regional governmental agency in 2008. TriMet approved a $127 million contract to build the bridge in December 2010.
See also
- Gibbs Street Pedestrian BridgeGibbs Street Pedestrian BridgeThe Gibbs Street Pedestrian Bridge is a approximately pedestrian bridge under construction in Portland, Oregon, United States. It will connect the Lair Hill neighborhood with the South Waterfront area...
: another new bridge under construction to be located 600 metre (0.372823641989884 mi) south of the Caruthers Bridge
External links
- Portland–Milwaukie Light Rail Project on TriMet website