Right of way acquisition begins for Burnside Bridge Replacement Project

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Multnomah County he authorized Burnside Bridge the substitute project team will enter the rights of way phase, which includes acquiring the properties necessary to build the new bridge. Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on Thursday authorized the county’s Transportation Department to begin negotiations to acquire the first property.

The project will create a new, seismically resistant bridge. In 2016, the county requested a feasibility study, during which officials considered about 120 different options, including seismic retrofitting of the existing bridge. After deciding to tear down the bridge and build a new one, the design phase began in fall 2023.

On Thursday, the board approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between Multnomah County and Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) for right-of-way services. Jon Henrichsen, county engineer and Transportation Division project director, said the IGA will allow the project team to begin the right-of-way phase. The IGA defines the roles and responsibilities of the county and ODOT, and ensures that ODOT employees are paid for their work during that phase.

The estimated cost of the rights-of-way phase is $34.6 million, which includes all property acquisitions. The total cost will depend on appraised property values, negotiations with property owners and tenant relocations, Henrichsen said.

The Board also authorized the Transportation Division to begin negotiations to acquire the properties necessary to implement the project. Both the temporary and permanent acquisitions of the property will be on Southeast Second Avenue. The property provides the only access point for demolition of the existing bridge and construction of the eastern approach to the new bridge. The future acquisition will include a temporary construction easement for approximately seven years to facilitate demolition and construction of the bridge and a small permanent easement for the new bridge structure and future maintenance needs.

“The affected property will require the current tenant to relocate,” Henrichsen said.

The project team anticipates that it will take about three years to relocate tenants and take over the property. The temporary and permanent takeover of the location is estimated to cost $17 million.

Once the valuations are complete, the design team will negotiate with the property owner how much compensation should be paid for the tenant’s move. Once an agreement is reached, the design team will return to the board for approval of the settlement – ​​likely next year.

The project team will return to the board later this year to seek authorization to proceed with other property acquisitions that should not take as long to complete. All right-of-way acquisitions must be completed before construction begins.

The board also accepted the employees’ proposal for support Community Design Advisory Grouprecommendation for a long-span bridge on the east side. The inverted Y design is a triangular tower suspended by cables that extends to a single column. The tower will be located on the east side of the bridge, acting as a gateway to downtown Portland. Cables will cascade from the tower down to the bridge, creating a seamless transition from the east side to the rest of the bridge, according to a Multnomah County news release.

The project is still in the early design stages. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2027.