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Vol. X • No. 11
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ODOT, Hamilton Construction Replace Bridge From 1913
Workers are completing the new bridge and, at the same time, protecting the Willamette River flowing underneath.
By Chuck MacDonald CEG CORRESPONDENT
The old Van Buren Bridge carried two lanes of eastbound traffic through Corvallis, Ore.,
for many decades. But the bridge, which was built in 1913, was under weight restriction and couldn’t safely support a firetruck. In response, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is working closely with local firm Hamilton Construction to build a new bridge designed by DOWL Engineering. Corvallis is a bustling city that is home to approximately
38,000 students at Oregon State University. Students and locals use the Willamette River flowing under the bridge for kayaking, boating, fishing and other recreational activities. The university’s rowing team also glides through these waters. The project is about 90 percent complete; the construction team plans to finish it this year. The job will cost about $85 million, with the bridge serving as a welcoming landmark to the city. In addition to the two traffic lanes carrying cars and freight, the bridge will have a bike lane and shared-use path for walkers who prefer a more leisurely pace to absorb the scenic
Work required five large cranes, some capable of handling a 250-ton lift.
views from above. “Our contractor had to build three bridges during the project: one temporary construction bridge used to build the new Van Buren Bridge, one temporary bridge to carry one lane of vehicle traffic and the final new bridge itself,” Mindy McCartt, an ODOT spokesperson told Construction Equipment Guide. “The two temporary bridges had to be very sturdy. They carried all types of vehicular traffic with no weight restrictions, and the construction bridge also had to support several heavy cranes during construction. see BRIDGE page 8