Long-awaited project to make Center Street Bridge earthquake-safe scheduled to start construction in 2026

A long-planned project to make Salem’s Center Street Bridge earthquake safe at a cost of nearly $300 million will get underway next year after a recent update in plans. 

In the event of a major earthquake, both Salem bridges would likely collapse and leave residents stranded on either side of the Willamette River, according to a statement from the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Construction on the Center Street Bridge is expected to start around summer 2026.

The project is part of the Salem-Keizer Area Transportation Study’s plan for the next two decades, which was recently updated. The study is accepting public comments about the project through March 28.

After reviewing the amended plan, people are encouraged to email [email protected] with feedback about the project. All public feedback will be shared at a public hearing to review the project in mid April.

The project

Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth said a 9.0 magnitude earthquake would likely bring down the Marion Street Bridge in minutes. In the wake of such a large earthquake, people in West Salem would be disconnected from Salem Health’s hospital and emergency services, Evans said.

The new project would make the Center Street bridge earthquake safe along with an emergency plan to ensure people can cross the river after an earthquake, something Evans advocated to be included in the project.

The plan did not include a potential date for construction to make the Marion Street Bridge earthquake safe.

Evans said he has pushed for the bridge remodel to take high priority since 2016 and is hopeful it will start on schedule.

“It’s easy to not do a project until it starts,” he said. 

Phase one will include construction from the west side of the Willamette River to the ramps on Front Street. The project will replace supportive pillars beneath the bridge from west to east riverbank, and the pillars’ bases will be made bigger.

Funding

The project is expensive, and the state so far only has money identified for the first of two phases.

ODOT has pegged the cost at about $130 million per phase, but says that could rise to $200 million each if further work is needed after the main construction.

Money for the first phase comes from a mix from a 2017 transportation bill and ODOT’s Bridge Program, according to ODOT spokeswoman Jenny Cherrytree.

The city of Salem will pay around $8.6 million to replace a water line connected to the bridge and install a new line that can withstand an earthquake, according to city spokeswoman Kathy Ursprung. Almost $7.9 million has already been allocated for the project, and the remaining money is expected to be included in the upcoming year’s budget.

Phase two of the project is currently unfunded and ODOT has not identified whether money will come from federal or state resources, Cherrytree said in an email. 

Initially, the bridge was planned to be updated all at once, Evans said, but last summer ODOT split the project into three parts. Evans, who is a co-chair of the legislature’s Joint Transportation Committee, worked with ODOT to get the project to two parts and have the state set aside money for temporary bridges while the Center Street Bridge is under construction.

The planning comes as ODOT is mired in multiple controversies, including an audit showing the department significantly overestimated its revenue. Many projects from the 2017 transportation package are over budget and behind schedule, and legislators are now contemplating another major transportation funding package.

Even though the project has taken nine years and several funding changes, Evans wants people to be hopeful and vigilant in supporting the project. 

“I think it’s in everybody’s interest in the area to cheer ODOT on to keep the promises they made,” Evans said. He specifically wants ODOT to follow through on paying for the bridge with existing funds and not relying on the current transportation package the legislature is working on.

Timeline

The project will take until the end of 2028, with potential final construction through the middle of 2029. Traffic in the area will be most affected around 2027-28 by temporary lane closures on Center and Front Streets, and some night closures of the bridge.

In preparation for construction, trees in Riverfront Park and along the west and east riverbanks will be removed. The city will be reimbursed by ODOT for replanting the trees once the project is finished.

Part of the North Riverfront Park parking lot will also be closed to the public for construction.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story inaccurately stated the project’s start date and that the city is not contributing funding. Salem Reporter apologizes for the error.

Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].

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