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Depot Street Bridge may get back on schedule By BUFFY POLLOCK ROGUE RIVER - Despite a three-month delay, coordinators of the project to replace Depot Street Bridge are hopeful they will catch up to their original schedule. "We're guardedly optimistic. We believe we'll be able to make up for the delay and still be able to break ground in June of 2003," said Jackson County construction supervisor Mike Kuntz. "But there are still many hurdles to go through. We're still in the refining stages of the project." Put on hold by ODOT in May, replacement of the 50-year-old landmark was finally made active again early this month. While delays were caused by project estimates being $4 million more than expected - an earlier $9 million estimate did not include a much-needed third lane - things could have been worse. Engineers shaved $1 million in costs by deciding to use the existing bridge for traffic, rather than a detour bridge during construction. The same was done when the current bridge was built in 1951 to replace an earlier crossing. Another benefit of using the existing bridge will be fewer traffic delays over five days versus an extended closure of three to four months - "a big difference," said Kuntz. Project team members, including Jackson County, the city of Rogue River and representatives from ODOT, met in Salem on Friday and made a few decisions on the project Their decisions include: Style: The current "steel truss" bridge, basically several large metal sections bolted together, will be replaced with an arch-style bridge with a wide road deck supported by an arch and cables. Size: The new bridge will have three traffic lanes to replace two existing ones, as well as bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides. Location: The end of the bridge, which currently "comes out" near Interstate 5, will not be changed much; the other end will be 100 feet farther upstream at a slight skew. Kuntz said the new bridge will definitely have a different look. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think it's going to be more attractive," he said. The 434-foot span is being replaced under the Federal Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation program because it can't handle future traffic, much less its current load. Kuntz said project engineers David Evans and Associates of Salem would manage construction and "are hoping to begin as soon as bids are awarded and permits obtained." Permits will be needed from the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Oregon Division of State Lands, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Jackson County. The bridge is expected to be finished in 2006. For more information, including images of the various alternative bridge designs. refer to www.deainc.com/depot_street on the Web. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.