Conceptual rendering of future Congressman Earl Blumenauer Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge

What's Happening Now?

Construction is set to begin on December 2nd, 2019! Click here to view the news release for Congressman Earl Blumenauer Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge's groundbreaking ceremony. 

Traffic Advisory: The week of 12/2 - 12/6, one lane of traffic will be removed on NE Lloyd Blvd heading eastbound from Grand Avenue to 9th Avenue. We ask the public to travel cautiously, observe all lane detours and directions by reader boards and flaggers, and use alternate routes if possible. Learn what you can expect in our work zones and how you can help everyone stay safe by watching this video: https://youtu.be/lx3RkJjkjSE

Project Overview

PBOT will be starting construction of a new pedestrian/bicycle bridge over Interstate 84 and the Union Pacific Railroad to better connect the rapidly growing Lloyd and Central Eastside Industrial districts. The bridge, called for in the Central City 2035 Plan as part of a larger “Green Loop,” will provide a safer, more convenient connection for people walking and cycling between the two bustling areas. The bridge will be located along the NE 7th Avenue alignment to best serve the geographic centers of both districts, link to existing and planned bike routes, and reduce conflicts with truck traffic. The nearest existing connections, on NE Grand Avenue and NE 12th Avenue, are substandard for pedestrian/bicycle use and have significant conflicts with freight and automobile traffic.

Primary funding for the project comes from Transportation System Development Charges (TSDCs), fees paid by development to mitigate the impact of new users of the transportation system and the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Area.  Other funding includes a commitment from the non-profit Go Lloyd transportation management association and the Central Eastside Industrial Council.  In January of 2019 PBOT retained HP Civil Inc., an Oregon based construction company, as general contractor for the project.  The estimated construction cost is $13.7 million.  In addition to the bridge the project includes two new plazas to provide landing on the north and south side of the bridge. 

Originally called “Sullivan’s Crossing” during its design and development, the bridge was officially named the Congressman Earl Blumenauer Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge by Transportation Commissioner Chloe Eudaly in May 2019, to honor the Congressman’s steadfast, decades-long advocacy for cycling and pedestrian issues in Portland and across the country

Project Budget

This project's budget is $13.5 million. It will be funded by Go Lloyd and the Central Eastside (both providing $250,000), Prosper Portland ($4.5 million), with the rest being funded by the Portland Bureau of Transportation through System Development Charges. 

Construction Timeline

Construction is anticipated to finish in Spring 2021. 

December 2017 Open House Update

Thanks to everyone who attended the December 5 Open House. The poster boards can be found under the Presentations and Publications section of this webpage.

We have spent the last couple weeks reviewing everyone’s feedback and continuing with our internal analysis of alignment options for the future bridge. We received overwhelming support for the 7th to 7th alignment at the open house and through additional public outreach. The 7th to 7th alignment also scored favorably in our Alignment Criteria Matrix. 

We are excited to announce that the final alignment for Sullivan’s Crossing will be from 7th Avenue on the north side of I-84 to 7th Avenue on the south side. This alignment requires a longer bridge that may be more expensive to build, but offers better connections to existing and planned cycling infrastructure to the south, better sightlines of the bridge, and more room on the south side both for construction staging and for the eventual bridge landing.

With the final alignment selected, we can vet the potential bridge types at a deeper level. We will continue to provide updates and opportunities for input on this website as the project advances.

Alternatives Analysis 2016 Update

Earlier in 2016 PBOT worked with consultants to prepare an alternatives analysis for different bridge types and alignments.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT HERE.

*DISCLAIMER: Content in this report is at a conceptual level. Features included therein, including bridge design, topography and cost estimates, are not precise and are subject to change.

Contact

For questions about this project, contact the project manager:

Dan Layden

Dan.Layden@portlandoregon.gov

503.823.2804