Four Salem bridges will be strengthened starting this week which will result in road closures during construction.

Work began Monday on the Northeast Liberty Street bridge that goes over Mill Creek and connects Northeast High Street with Northeast Division Street just north of the Salem Police Department. 

The southbound lanes are closed to allow room for equipment and materials, and traffic alerts and other information will be shared as work continues, a city news release said. 

Construction on the Liberty Street bridge is expected to cost $356,400.

The other bridges that will be strengthened and their construction costs include: 

• Northeast 17th Street over Mill Creek, which connects Northeast Center Street and Northeast Chemeketa Street — $300,400. 
• Northeast 15th Street over Mill Creek, which connects Northeast B Street with Northeast Marion Street — $83,900. 
• Southeast Mission Street over Pringle Creek, south of Salem Hospital — $503,510

City spokesman Jason Roberts said the strengthening work will run through November and is necessary to allow heavier trucks to safely drive across local waterways after the bridges were analyzed for potential weaknesses, or points of failure. 

The strengthening of the four bridges will be paid for out of the 2022 voter-approved infrastructure bond. The total cost for all four bridges is about $1.2 million. 

Roberts said an analysis allowed the city’s contractor, HP Civil Inc., to come up with multiple ways to reinforce the four bridges. HP Civil, which is based just outside of Salem, has prior experience with similar projects and will complete the work quickly, he said.

“High-strength rebar will be placed to strengthen the bridges along those failure points,” Roberts told Salem Reporter in an email. “These high-strength bars will be adhered to the concrete after a groove along the beam is cut depending on the location and failure point.”  

During construction, traffic on Northeast 17th Street and Northeast Mission Street will be shifted. One lane will be closed on Northeast Liberty Street during construction, and Northeast 15th Street will be closed during construction, the release said. 

More specific information on each of the bridges getting strengthened can be found on the city’s website here. The city also has a portal where residents can monitor the locations of current road projects, road conditions, and potential closures in Salem.  

For more information residents are encouraged to contact the city by calling 503-588-6211, or by emailing [email protected].

Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected] or 503-335-7790.

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