Port of Hood River 72-Hour Bridge Closure - June 24-26

The Hood River-White Salmon Interstate bridge will be closed to all traffic for a 72-hour period beginning at 12:01 a.m. the morning of Friday, June 24 through 11:59 p.m. the night of Sunday, June 26. During this total closure, crews from Granite Construction will repave the Oregon and Washington approach ramps. The work will include roughening the surfaces, applying an emulsion and a rubber membrane, and finally a 1.5” asphalt surface. Since the work must be conducted in dry conditions, it has been rescheduled due to the weather forecast of rain. 

Consulting engineer Harvey Coffman of Coffman Engineering described the need for the project, saying “The north and south ramps were originally constructed in 1951 and they are showing their age, as evidenced by the development of potholes and increased patching on the roadway surface. Additionally, traffic has been wearing the roadway down in the wheel lines, creating ruts. Also, recent testing identified chloride infiltration in the concrete surface, likely from the use of de-icing salts, that is above acceptable thresholds. If untreated, these chlorides can accelerate corrosion of the reinforcing bars that can lead to increased deterioration. A hot mix asphalt overlay with a waterproof membrane will be utilized to address these issues, provide a smoother riding surface, and extend the service life of the approach ramp deck.”

The Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge is the only Columbia River crossing in an approximate 40-mile stretch of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The nearest alternate crossings are the Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks and The Dalles Bridge in The Dalles. These alternate routes will add at least one hour travel time to the crossing from White Salmon to Hood River. “Closing the bridge completely for three days is really unusual and a very difficult decision. We know that a closure causes extreme disruption to all sorts of life activities, including emergency services, weddings, worker commute, and of course school, and graduation ceremonies and celebrations,” said Port Executive Director Michael McElwee. “The Port scheduled the work be done around the clock, with the shortest possible closure duration and was planned for a weekend to lessen the impact on businesses and commuters. Unfortunately, we did not anticipate the hardship the closure would cause for families celebrating high school graduations in the area, and we regret the additional travel time this closure will cause on that important day.”

 The nearly 100-year-old steel structure is due for replacement, and a rigorous bi-state effort is underway to complete engineering and design and secure construction funding. Meanwhile, the current bridge is a critical link in the region’s transportation infrastructure. Bids were received for three potential closure schedules that included a three, five, or seven-day closure option to complete the work. The Port accepted the bid from Granite of $795,000.00. This was the highest cost option but allows the project to be completed in the shortest possible duration to minimize the impact to bridge users.

 For more information, contact the Port of Hood River via email to porthr@gorge.net.