Portland's Burnside Bridge is set for a futuristic makeover, as the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners has given a resounding thumbs-up to the inverted Y design option. This unanimous decision, detailed in a news release, comes after extensive public outreach and consideration of various options for this crucial piece of infrastructure reform. As reported by Multnomah County, this is a significant stride in the Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge Project, which began its journey back in 2016.
In a move that aligns with the community's desires, the chosen inverted Y design provides both a distinctive architectural element for the cityscape and is poised to offer the widest pedestrian and bike paths among all downtown bridges. “This is an iconic, long-lasting decision for our community and a major milestone for this critical project,” Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said, as noted in a statement on Multnomah County's official website. The project aims not only for aesthetic significance but prioritizes structural resilience to withstand a significant seismic event.
Commissioners acknowledged the importance of selecting a bridge design that marries safety, sustainability, and iconic value for the community. Commissioner Lori Stegmann commended public participation through the survey process, highlighting the visual distinction of the design: "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," as mentioned on Multnomah County's official website.
As part of the outreach efforts, citizens had access to an online survey which closed on July 31, providing a platform for input on the bridge's future design. Enthusiastic engagement was witnessed during various events, such as A Night Out with the Burnside Bridge Team at OMSI and Breakfast on the Bridge, where attendees could discuss options, take the survey, and visualize the bridge via interactive displays and 3D simulations. The extensive public engagement and advisory group consultations were fundamental to narrowing down the design choices before the Board's approval, as documented on the County's website.
On the road to this landmark decision, the Community Design Advisory Group, composed of 20 diverse community members, played a critical role. They delved into the aesthetics – colors, materials, and lighting – and put forth their recommendation, aligning with that of the County staff. This symbiotic process reflects a shared decision-making ideology that embraces public involvement, with Transportation Division Director Jon Henrichsen saying to Multnomah County, "For the first time, we know what we’re going to design and build for each part of the bridge – from downtown, across the river and for the east long span."
Moving toward seismic readiness, the project underscores the vulnerability of current structures to a major Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake, making this venture one of Oregon's largest earthquake resilience projects. The Multnomah County website continues to be a resource for those interested in the project's trajectory and upcoming milestones.
