The City of Portland’s new bike & pedestrian bridge improves safety and access.
Imagine being able to safely walk or roll from northwest Portland (think “trendy-third”) into the heart of downtown Portland. No more worrying if you’ll get taken out by a car traversing busy I-405. Well, get ready: you can make that journey safely starting this summer on the new Flanders Crossing Bike and Pedestrian Bridge.
It will be a huge improvement for bicyclists, pedestrians, and people who use mobility devices, who currently have to use either NW Everett or Glisan streets to cross the interstate – both of which lack sidewalks on one side and require negotiating on- and off-ramps for vehicles entering or exiting I-405.
ODOT Highway Region 1 Project Services Manager Sam Hunaidi and the Portland local agency team enjoyed helping the city deliver the $9.5 million project, partly funded by our Connect Oregon program, and they took some great photos along the way.
“It’s a unique project in part because it was being delivered on an interstate system, which makes it very challenging considering traffic management,” Hunaidi said. “We had to consider mobility, public notice, and people camping nearby, and we had to coordinate with other projects in the area.”
Flanders Crossing is a great example of a project that meets all three of ODOT’s Strategic Action Plan priorities: equity, modern transportation system, and sufficient and reliable funding.
Working together ensures success
Pre-work was critical to the success the project is experiencing. (It’s about 90 percent complete and expected to open by June 30.) Hunaidi and team helped the city and its contractor address all the issues required by the program’s guidelines.
“My team and I were very involved during the preliminary engineering and construction phases to help meet the specifications for bridges on the highway system.”
All that hard work came together with the successful complete closure of I-405 one weekend in January. The interstate lanes sat eerily empty while the new bridge was maneuvered in place. It’s no surprise Hunaidi and some of his colleagues were there to watch the excitement unfold.
Congratulations, City of Portland, ODOT’s Highway Region 1 team, and all our partners! The results of your hard work are just around the corner…
Read more stories from ODOT here!
