The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a resolution to move forward with the inverted Y design option for the future look of the new Burnside Bridge. The new bridge will deliver significant value for all users. At 17 feet, the new Burnside Bridge will have the largest bike and pedestrian space of all the downtown Portland bridges.
The approval marks a historic milestone for the Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge Project which began in 2016. “This is an iconic, long-lasting decision for our community and a major milestone for this critical project,” Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said. “I want to thank the overwhelming number of people who’ve joined this process and helped us take this next important step. Portland is shaped by our bridges and your energy met this moment.”
The inverted Y design is a triangular-shaped cable stay tower that extends to a single column. The design will be on the east side of the bridge, serving as a gateway in and out of downtown Portland. The cables will cascade from the tower down to the bridge creating a cohesive transition from the east side to the remainder of the bridge. For a look at how the inverted Y will fit into the urban landscape, you can watch a video (youtube.com/watch?v=fQzKqHsg2Qk) that simulates the experience of being on and near the inverted Y tower bridge.
“Deciding on a safe, sustainable bridge design is a critical decision of our Board,” Commissioner Lori Stegmann said. “I appreciate the members of the public who took time to share their thoughts through the public survey, and the dedication of the CDAG and the effort they put into their informed decision. I supported the inverted Y design because of the importance of having a visual icon in the event that our community becomes unrecognizable during a catastrophic event and the lower maintenance costs in the long-term.”
“This bridge matters so much for our future safety and prosperity,” Commissioner Jesse Beason said. “That’s why thousands of residents weighed in on what they hope for the new Burnside Bridge—and 20 volunteers from all walks of life spent hours diving into the details. No matter what my eyes may prefer, I have not studied bridge design for years nor spent months in meetings discussing the intricacies and debating the choices. This is why we ask the experts and volunteers to advise us. And I am excited to follow their advice.”
“I’m supportive of moving forward with the recommended design because it is much needed infrastructure, and the design meets the most important criterion which is that it be earthquake resilient,” Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards said. “As an eastsider who has worked on the west side and who crosses the river often on a daily basis, this will be a vital transportation link between the east and west side of our County. I’ll continue to monitor, engage and push for aggressive cost management and control, so we deliver this essential life line in a cost-efficient way for the community.”
Commissioners weighed a number of data points before the vote: the project’s public survey results, the Community Design Advisory Group’s (CDAG) recommendation and the County staff recommendation.
Rendering of inverted Y design option by Multnomah County.
