The Waverly Drive bridge over Cox Creek, photographed on the afternoon of Jan. 6, 2025.
Now that engineers have been hired, there’s a timeline for getting the aging Waverly Drive bridge on Cox Creek replaced.
In mid-December, the Linn County Board of Commissioners awarded a design contract for the bridge replacement to David Evans and Associates. The firm has offices in Portland, Salem and across the United States.
The bridge was built in 1957 and is not exactly busy. (The average daily vehicle count was 154 in 2022.) But it’s the only way vehicles can reach Simpson Park, the Talking Water Gardens and the Millersburg yard of the Portland & Western Railroad.
In 2005, the structure was briefly closed before one lane was reopened and load-restricted. It has been a one-lane bridge ever since, with an improvised path for foot and bike traffic.
I asked the county what the contract with the engineers entailed. County Engineer Daineal Malone explained:
“David Evans and Associates, Inc. was awarded a contract to design all aspects of replacing the bridge. This includes survey work, hiring sub-consultants to prepare reports and obtain permits to meet federal environmental requirements, acquiring right of way, if necessary, engineering design and preparing a construction cost estimate and project specifications in order to go out to bid.”
I asked Malone how long this would take, how much it would cost, and when the new bridge would likely be completed.
“The proposed schedule is to begin work in February 2025 and conclude in February 2026. The current authorized amount for this work (preliminary engineering design and right of way) is $626,100. We are still in the negotiating phase and a final amount has not been determined… The project is proposed to be advertised in early 2026, with construction to begin spring of 2026 with completion by the end of 2026.”
As I reported last fall, the total project cost including construction is estimated at more than $4.5 million. The Oregon Department of Transportation is paying for it under its Local Bridge Program, and Linn County is administering it.
I cross this bridge on frequent bike rides along the Albany riverfront and have often written about its poor condition. This might be the last of these reports until construction is about to start. (hh)
154 seems incredibly low number. I would find it hard to believe that that number is still the same 3 years later. The quote for the bridge also seems really low. No I’m not claiming to be an expert on any of these numbers, just an observation from your common citizen.
Funny, I was thinking $4.5 million was way too much to spend on a bridge that only a few hundred vehicles use a day.
Infrastructure in a city is hugely important. Hopefully more infrastructure projects are planned for our fair city.
Actually who cares! Right Hasso (MAGA(t)
We have far more fish to fry. You say!
Letting the RIOTers out. I can’t wait. Guns!!!! Shoot!
Who CARES!
I “say” what? Comments would be more interesting to me if I could tell what they meant.
I know you ride the Dave Clark trail a lot. I’m not on Facebook anymore, but I think last year I noticed what looked like it could be a start of an under cut under the path right but the steep embankment. Pretty sure it was close to chain link fence on left side and before the multiple store building that used to deal with lasers. The only reason I noticed it because I had to get off bike in stop right before. I’m disabled so I don’t get out much so I’m not sure if it developed more.
It’s where the panels of the path have shifted and the cover of an expansion joint came loose and then disappeared. The parks department says it has ordered a new part.