The contractor installing a new deck on the Morrison Bridge lift span will shift traffic lanes from the south to the north side of the bridge in the early morning of Wednesday, June 28, from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. The bridge will remain open to traffic during the switch, with short delays.
The contractor has completed installation of the new steel deck on the north side of the east lift span. After the traffic change, the contractor will replace the deck on the south side of the east leaf.
The traffic shift to the north side of the bridge will not change access to any ramps to and from the bridge. The shared path on the south side of the bridge will remain open for several days after the switch, before it is closed for several months. The contractor will replace parts of the deck that support the path. The north sidewalk of the bridge will be open to pedestrians only. Bicyclists should use the Hawthorne or Burnside bridges while the south path is closed.
For the next month, drivers will travel over an open steel grid on the east leaf of the lift span, similar to the deck on the Hawthorne Bridge. Motorcyclists should use caution when driving on the open grating. After the steel deck is installed on the south side of the span, the contractor will pour concrete into the steel deck that will give it a solid surface and provide better traction.
The concrete pour for the east leaf, planned in late July, will require the bridge to be closed for one to two weeks while the concrete cures. A similar closure will be needed later this summer when concrete is poured for the deck on the west leaf.
The new Morrison Bridge lift span deck will be installed by the end of October 2017. Hamilton Construction is the contractor for the $6.5 million construction project. The project includes other work to balance the lift span and replace worn parts.
Multnomah County maintains the Morrison Bridge and five other Willamette River bridges. For more information, visit www.multco.us/bridges or follow @MultcoBridges on Twitter.