The public is invited to review and comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Multnomah County’s Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge project.
The project is designed to ensure the community has at least one downtown Willamette River bridge that could be used after a major Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake.
Multnomah County’s project team analyzed the impacts of the preferred alternative (a new Long Span bridge) and several other alternatives in the natural and human environment, as well as impacts on climate change, equity and public health.
An online open house (available 24/7) has been established to provide an easy way to access the full DEIS including technical reports, an executive summary and short summaries of each technical report. “Attend” the open house at burnsidebridge-eis.participate.online.
Comments can be submitted through Monday, March 22 at the open house by calling 503.423.3790; by emailing burnside-eis@multco.us; or by postal mail to Burnside Draft EIS, 1403 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214.
After the comment period ends, the project team will respond to comments and do further analysis that will be included in the Final EIS to be published Fall 2021. Once the Federal Highway Administration issues a Record of Decision approving the Final EIS and the preferred alternative, the project move on to the design phase.
Construction is expected to begin as soon as 2024, pending funding.