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Board approves $695,301 design contract for repairs to Willamette River Independence Bridge
Summary
The board approved a not‑to‑exceed $695,301.12 contract with Dowell LLC for preliminary engineering on structural repairs to the Willamette River Independence Bridge; the project is federally funded and scheduled for construction in 2027.
The Marion County Board of Commissioners approved a not‑to‑exceed $695,301.12 contract with Dowell LLC on April 9 for preliminary engineering on structural repairs to the Willamette River Independence Bridge, which connects Marion and Polk counties near Independence.
Ryan Crother, Marion County Public Works capital projects manager, said the project’s first priority is improving the bridge’s load rating and then repairing damaged or failing components. The bridge is 2,290 feet long and is among the county’s largest spans, Crother said.
“We want to improve the load rating because there’s limited access to that area,” Crother said. He described other priorities as replacing damaged railing, replacing bridge joints, resurfacing the deck and addressing corrosion in substructure steel where water has accumulated.
The contract is federally funded; Crother said an estimated $623,893.69 of the contract will use federal funds and an estimated $71,407.43 will be county funds. Crother gave a total project budget of $7,819,800. He said preliminary design would begin immediately in 2025 if the contract is approved, with final design in 2026 and construction in 2027.
When a commissioner asked whether Oregon Department of Transportation budget issues could affect the grant funding, Crother said the funds for this project are obligated and not at risk of being rescinded.
Commissioner Willis moved approval of the engineering services contract; the board approved the motion by voice vote.
