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County approves Section 106 agreement for Scotts Mills Butte Creek bridge replacement with interpretive mitigation
Summary
Marion County commissioners approved a Section 106 memorandum of agreement with federal and state agencies for replacement of the Scotts Mills Butte Creek bridge, including interpretive features estimated at about $50,000 covered by the federal grant.
Marion County commissioners approved a Section 106 memorandum of agreement Wednesday with the Federal Highway Administration, the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office and the Oregon Department of Transportation to permit replacement of the Scotts Mills Butte Creek bridge and to document mitigation measures.
Ryan Crother of Marion County Public Works said the existing structure is a steel pony truss built in 1925, moved to its current location in 1951, and was determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places during project development. Because the bridge must be replaced for structural and alignment reasons, federal historic-preservation regulations require mitigation negotiated with the federal and state agencies.
The mitigation package described in the agreement includes an interpretive kiosk, stamped concrete on the new bridge depicting the existing truss, a bronze plaque with information on the historic bridge and an art-deco-style railing that preserves visual interest and sightlines of the water below. County staff showed example photos and noted the design is conceptual and may differ in final construction drawings.
Crother estimated the mitigation measures will cost about $50,000 and said that amount fits within the project's existing federal grant budget. "These mitigation measures, we anticipate costing around $50,000. With our current estimate that fits within our grant award," he told the board.
Commissioners discussed the design choice and asked to be consulted earlier in future design discussions where aesthetic tradeoffs or budget deltas arise. One commissioner asked who decided on the art-deco styling; Crother said it resulted from negotiations among the bridge engineer, State Historic Preservation Office and county environmental staff and that precedent rail designs with available details were chosen to meet budget constraints.
A motion to approve the Section 106 memorandum of agreement carried on a voice vote.
County staff noted the project's federal funding requires these mitigation steps and that the measures are intended to preserve and interpret the historic character while allowing a structurally improved and widened bridge better suited to current traffic and safety needs. The county will host project materials and a story map through ODOT for public information.
