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CLEAR Temp: 90 °F Wind: NW at 10 mph Friday, August 29, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend July 27, 2003 A $2.5 billion state transportation package will replace 20 of Jackson County�s 53 bridges and overpasses along Interstate 5. It is Oregon�s biggest public works package since the interstate was built in the 1960s. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Bridge work ahead In the biggest project since the interstate, 20 spans in Jackson County get repairs By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune As he jogs under the Table Rock Road overpass, Stuart Foster keeps a close eye on ominous cracks highlighted by red spray paint. "I was shocked the first time I saw them," said the Medford resident and chairman of the Oregon Transportation Commission. Bridges are cracking all over Jackson County, sending state and local officials scrambling to find money to rebuild them before weight restrictions must be imposed that would impact the local economy. Under a massive $2.5 billion state program adopted Wednesday by the Legislature, 20 of the 53 bridges and overpasses along Interstate 5 in Jackson County will be replaced in the next 10 years to keep heavy freight traffic flowing freely. Advertisement "This is the biggest public works package since the creation of the interstate system" in the 1960s, said Jared Castle, spokesman for the Oregon Department of Transportation. The funding targets half the problem bridges in the state, most of which are on primary freight routes. "Cities and counties will be stuck with a lot of non-freight bridges that need to be addressed and are failing," said Foster. Engineers say the state’s bridges are safe for now and are inspected every two years to determine whether the cracks are expanding and to assess their impacts. Jackson County has identified 21 of the 153 bridges in its road system as needing major repairs. The transportation package provides $300 million for bridges in cities and counties, but specific projects have not been selected. The state is in a race to replace cracking bridges on main freight routes before it is forced to impose weight limits of 80,000 pounds or lower that would restrict truck traffic. The problem is acute in Oregon because unlike other states, it continued building concrete deck girder bridges — which are more susceptible to cracking — between 1947 and 1961. There are 389 of these problem bridges in Oregon, compared to 36 in Washington, four in Idaho and two in California. One of the bridges that has not been slated for immediate repairs is the Table Rock Road overpass north of Medford. "That one won’t be fixed (in the near future), but it’s also not a critical freight route," said Foster. Other bridges that carry heavy freight traffic are cracking faster than they can be replaced on the interstate system. "It’s not beyond the realm of comprehension that we might have to have weight limits," Foster said. Trucks carrying gasoline haul as much as 105,500 pounds, and any restrictions on their ability to get to Southern Oregon could drive up gas prices, he said. Timber products are also trucked to this area primarily from Portland, and weight limits could have an adverse affect on this industry as well. A typical bridge in Oregon is designed to carry a maximum load of 105,500 pounds with a special permit. New bridges would be capable of carrying loads of up to 304,000 pounds, although no legislation has been discussed to raise the weight limit on trucks. Some interstate projects already have been concluded in Jackson County — the viaduct through Medford, for example. During the next 10 years, as one project after another gets underway, ODOT District Manager John Vial said motorists will have to expect delays. "You’re going to see considerably more construction on bridges," he said. "Slow-downs will be associated with this work." The interstate system is a main concern, but secondary routes, which are under the jurisdiction of counties, have similar problems. Using a combination of federal, state and local money, Jackson County has scheduled 10 of its 21 problem bridges — including two wooden spans — to be fixed in the next two years. County Engineer Dale Petrasek, citing the problem bridges in the county, said, "If we had the money, we would replace them." The East Pine Street Bridge, which is critical for freight traffic in Jackson County, already has weight limits and traffic restrictions. "The worst bridge in the county is East Pine Street," said Petrasek, noting the project goes to bid Aug. 14. Closed to traffic in two lanes, the span that crosses Bear Creek is typical of many cracked girder bridges in Oregon. Replacement of two of the county’s 24 wooden bridges are scheduled to go to bid next spring. One on Pleasant Creek in Wimer has a temporary center brace to allow heavy logging trucks to cross. The other, at Antelope Creek on Meridian Road southeast of Eagle Point, also will be replaced because it is too narrow and structurally obsolete. "Every bridge is inspected every two years, and if the inspection shows any major problems, then the bridge is load rated based on the defect," said Petrasek. "If there is a bridge out there that is unsafe, we will close it every time." While steel and concrete bridges are easier to analyze, timber bridges can pose more of a problem, requiring boring samples to determine if there is any rot. "In general, if you have a bridge out there in the category of a wooden structure over 50 years old, a lot of things can happen to that type of structure that you can’t predict," said Petrasek. On July 6, the covered bridge in Wimer collapsed, injuring three people. An initial investigation pointed to a structural defect in a support truss as the likely cause, but a full analysis is forthcoming. The bridge, built in 1892, replaced in 1927 and repaired several times, was scheduled for another overhaul in 2002. A weight limit of 3 tons had been imposed, well below engineers’ recommendation of 6 tons. The county has identified 23 concrete bridges in its system that have cracked girders, but Petrasek said ongoing inspections haven’t yet been completed to determine how structurally sound the spans are. Three bridges on Applegate Road — over the Little Applegate River, Beaver Creek and Star Gulch — are all cracked girder bridges, but the funding isn’t yet available to rebuild them. With $300 million potentially available from the state, Petrasek said, "The county will definitely be putting in for some of these bridges." Paving the way Here’s how the Legislature’s $2.5 billion transportation package would be funded: Registration fees Car — raised from $30 to $54. Motorcycle — raised from $9 to $30. Motor homes — raised from $168 to $252, plus extra fee based on length. Title fees Car title fee — raised from $30 to $55. Large trucks — no change, but 10 percent increase in weight-mile taxes. New driver's test fees Written test — $5. Driving test — $9. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times