Looking across the Waverly Drive bridge on Cox Creek toward the parking lot for Simpson Park and Talking Water Gardens, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.
This is the year the Waverly Drive bridge on Cox Creek will finally be replaced with a new one.
The bridge is on my bike route through the wilds of northeast Albany, and I stopped there again Tuesday to note that yet another step has been taken in the long process of getting the replacement planned, funded and permitted.
The Albany Community Development Department just published a notice that it was doing a “floodplain development review” for the bridge replacement. They’ve notified properties within 300 feet of the bridge. (There are only three owners within 300 feet: the state parks department, ATI Specialty Alloys, and the city itself.)
I’ve done a number of stories about that bridge since, for safety reasons, it was restricted to one lane in 2005. The replacement has been on the ODOT planning and construction schedule known as STIPÂ for several years. The most recent change I noticed was that funding for right-of-way acquisition was canceled.
Prompted by the city’s floodplain notice, I asked Linn County Roadmaster Amy Ramsdell for an update this week. Here it is:
“The Cox Creek Bridge on Waverly Drive is scheduled for construction this year (2026). The project did not require any additional right of way, which led to the cancellation of that phase and STIP amendment you noted. The design consultant, DEA, provided a floodplain development permit to the City of Albany for review. Upon receipt of the floodplain permit from the City of Albany, we will proceed to advertisement and bidding. We anticipate bidding the project this spring to facilitate construction this season.”
The ODOT budget for this project is about $4.8 million, mostly covered by federal funds. The city of Millersburg is contributing nearly $500,000. The Linn County Road Department is administering the project.
The county says the new bridge will be wider to support pedestrian and bike traffic and meet the ADA (handicap) requirements. Construction will be in two phases, one lane at a time, with one lane open while the other one is built.
So the Portland & Western will have access to its Millersburg rail yard, and people will be able to reach Simpson Park or Talking Water Gardens while the construction is going on. (hh)
Motor traffic on the bridge has been restricted to one lane for more than 20 years.
Another government bridge to “no where”…. The damn $$$ ought to be spent on our City streets..!!!
Talkin’ Water Gardens and Simpson Park disrespectfully disagree. They say “we are places many visit”! Your city streets be damned.
A lot more visit our pothole filled streets.
Another hide behind letters of the alphabet response. Coward…Name your self..!!
Kind of irrelevant. It’s a Millersburg bridge, and the money comes from an ODOT/federal program to rebuild bridges. Neither Millersburg nor ODOT are interested in potholes on Albany streets.
Good point. It is a Millersburg bridge so why did I get a letter from City of Albany about bridge in Millersburg?
What did the letter say?