Letter to the Editor: Sellwood Bridge truss could become bike/pedestrian bridge between Milwaukie, Lake Oswego
Now is the time for Metro to begin studying moving sections of the existing Sellwood Bridge to a location next to the Lake Oswego-Milwaukie railroad bridge and building a bridge for pedestrians and bikes. In 2010 the Union Pacific Railroad denied Metro permission to study adding a pedestrian/bike deck on the Lake Oswego-Milwaukie railroad bridge.
Reusing the steel truss from the current Sellwood Bridge is the least expensive way to obtain a pedestrian/bike bridge between Lake Oswego and Milwaukie. The Willamette River is 600 feet wide where the railroad bridge spans the river with two 298-foot through-trusses. Reusing the two 300-foot center spans from the Sellwood Bridge's main truss is a perfect fit. The truss is 20 feet wide allowing for a 14-foot pedestrian bike deck.
At the completion of the new Sellwood Bridge the current bridge structure will be put on barges and floated downstream to a wharf. At that point the concrete deck can be removed, the truss modified, a pedestrian/bike deck installed inside the truss, and the truss painted. Then the truss can be floated upstream and installed on new piers next to the railroad bridge.
A new pedestrian bike bridge will provide excellent access between Lake Oswego and the Trolley Trail in Oak Grove, the (future) Park Avenue Light Rail Station, and Milwaukie.
Fred Sawyer
Oak Grove
Via:
OregonLive.