| National Scenic Area bridge permitted in record time |
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| First bridge permit in National Scenic Area shaves six to 12 months off usual re |
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The Cascadian design blends with the environment.
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After only a four-month review period—six to 12 months less than usual—ODOT’s OTIA III bridge program has received its first permit to replace a bridge in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Thanks to ODOT’s innovative Interstate 84 Corridor Strategy and the work of a dedicated interagency team, the bridge program will be able to start projects much sooner than would otherwise be possible.
“We’re very pleased with this quick approval, which helps us expedite construction,” said Ray Mabey, manager of the OTIA III Bridge Delivery Unit. “We’re also grateful to our partners in Wasco County, who completed their own review quickly and were very responsive.”
The permit for Bundle 207, I-84: The Dalles–Fifteen Mile Creek, follows the aesthetic guidelines laid out in the I-84 Corridor Strategy, ODOT’s framework for managing and improving its facilities within the Gorge consistent with National Scenic Area requirements. The strategy provides a vision that includes long-term goals for highway projects throughout the Gorge. The project was the first to follow this new process, which allows for plan reviews and focused discussions early in the design phases and greater certainty that final plans will meet NSA aesthetic standards.
“The Gorge is the subject of intense interest by many people with varying viewpoints,” Mabey said. “Meeting a set of already agreed upon guidelines leaves everyone happy with the process.”
Representatives of state and federal agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Gorge Commission and the Federal Highway Administration; adjacent counties; and private companies consulting on the bridge program worked together with ODOT to develop the design guidelines. This group—known as the Corridor Strategy Team (Level 1 Team)—in turn collaborated with local citizens, who participated via a series of public meetings in 2005 and 2006 to provide feedback.
“The Level 1 Team has been a good investment of time,” said Geoff Crook, environmental program manager for the Bridge Delivery Unit. “Because everyone had a stake in the outcome, they feel empowered to reach a mutually satisfying conclusion.”
The public meetings culminated in a daylong workshop in which architects and engineers helped the public turn design ideas into actual preliminary sketches.
Gorge residents endorsed bridge designs that mirror the designs of the Historic Columbia River Highway, which runs parallel to I-84.
Working from public feedback, the Level 1 Team developed two options: a “Cascadian” design with arched features and a rock façade and a sleek, contemporary design that allows excellent sightlines for viewing the beauty of the Gorge. Working with the guidelines, contractors select the type that best fits a specific bridge site. For this project, the Cascadian style was used because it blends better with surrounding natural environment.
The permit for Bundle 207 adhered to the design guidelines, which include conceptual diagrams and recommendations for line, color and texture of highway features and materials.
“This process is a model that ODOT can pursue for future projects in the National Scenic Area,” Crook said. “It will help expedite permits for all our projects, including those beyond the OTIA III bridge program.”
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