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Planning commission approves Gilchrist pedestrian bridge replacement, citing safety and river restoration
Summary
The Bend Planning Commission approved the replacement of the Gilchrist pedestrian bridge near Columbia Park with a 10‑ft clear multi‑use span, new abutments pulled above high‑water, ADA‑compliant approaches and anti‑jumping cables; staff estimates construction costs at about $1.6 million and required permits and erosion controls were added as conditions.
The Bend Planning Commission voted on June 8 to approve the Gilchrist pedestrian bridge replacement (PL WZ 2026 0197) with staff‑recommended conditions of approval.
Erin Benson, senior planner, explained the project replaces the existing roughly 100‑ft wooden pedestrian bridge with a proposed 120‑ft weathering‑steel structure and 10‑ft clear width between railings. "The 10‑ft width will make it safer for two‑way traffic," Erin said, adding that the longer span moves abutments away from the river’s ordinary high‑water mark and allows native riparian restoration where the older abutments intrude on the channel.
Ian Isacson, landscape architect for the Bend Park and Recreation District, described design details and maintenance plans; Mason Lacy (design engineer, ESA) and S. Clever (city transportation mobility engineering) described geotechnical constraints and the need for deep micro‑pile foundations due to liquefiable soils at the site. The park district said cedar decking was proposed for ride quality and durability but final decking material would be confirmed in later design steps.
Park and city staff said the project will remove existing concrete abutment work from the river, restore bank vegetation, meet ADA approach requirements and add anti‑jumping cable barriers similar to those installed on other district bridges. Staff noted permits required from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Oregon Department of State Lands, and a grading/erosion control plan and right‑of‑way permit must be approved prior to construction. Staff estimated construction costs near $1.6 million and said micro‑pile foundations are a major cost component.
A public commenter asked whether repair might be cheaper and whether replacement was strictly necessary. Staff said a 2022 structural analysis showed the bridge is not imminently unsafe but that unknowns in the historic abutments and future seismic or scour risk, combined with the opportunity to coordinate with a nearby Columbia Park river‑access project, made replacement the more efficient option.
After deliberation, a motion to approve the waterway overlay application for the Gilchrist pedestrian bridge replacement passed with one commissioner recorded as opposed. Staff conditions require the applicant to obtain all necessary permits (Army Corps/DSL), submit a grading/erosion control plan and right‑of‑way permit, meet design/construction standards current at the time of application, and protect trees and significant vegetation during construction. The commission closed the hearing and approved the application.
