which now sits 11 miles north of
downtown Portland and connects
Highway 30 to Sauvie Island — is
headed to Northwest Portland.
(Photo © J. Maus)
In a press release from City Hall this afternoon, PDOT announced that City Commissioners Sam Adams, Dan Saltzman, and Randy Leonard have agreed on a course of action that will put the Sauvie Island Bridge re-use plan up for a second City Council vote on May 7th.
If all goes according to plan, PDOT and Kuney will begin work on the project — which will relocate the span and put it to use as a bicycle and pedestrian crossing over I-405 at NW Flanders Street — on June 6th.
PDOT also announced they’ll hold a press conference on Friday to announce details of the plan.
When the project first came up at Council, it did not muster the necessary votes to pass. This was due in part because of Commissioner Saltzman’s concerns about a sole-source (no-bid) contract between PDOT and Kuney Construction (they own the bridge and were slated to complete the project).
After several days of negotiations with Adams, Saltzman issued a statement last Friday vowing his support for the project under certain conditions.
The plan detailed by the Commissioners today meets those conditions. It still awards the main part of the project to Kuney, but at a guaranteed maximum price cap. Then, a second part of the project calls for a competitive bid process.
PDOT says the relocation will occur in two phases.
The first phase — which includes dismantling the bridge from its current location, re-painting it, moving it to NW Flanders and installing it — will be done by Kuney Construction for a “guaranteed maximum price of $3.913 million”. The ordinance also states that Kuney will “incur any unforeseen cost increases, if they arise.”
The second phase of the project — which includes preparation of the site at NW Flanders, construction of the bridge foundations, and installation of a traffic signal — will go out to a competitive bid.
The ordinance also states that the City will enter into the contract with Kuney only, “upon receipt of all funds necessary to complete the project,” which PDOT estimates will be June 25.
The project’s $5.5 million cost estimate has not changed. Sources for funding include: $2 million from Transportation System Development charges, $2 million from River District Urban Renewal Tax Increment Funds, $1 million in Transportation Enhancement funds from the Oregon Department of Transportation, $500,000 from the City’s general fund as part of the Safe, Sound & Green Streets program, and private donations.
The ordinance will receive its first reading at City Council next Wednesday (4/30) with the second reading a week later (5/7). It will go into effect 30 days after the vote.
With three of the four Commissioners (usually there are five, but Commissioner Sten’s seat is vacant) behind the plan, it is assured passage. The only real question that remains is whether or not Potter will reverse his opposition to the plan.
More info:
— View the press release
— Press conference announcement
— BikePortland.org’s full coverage of this project