From the Fall 2017 Port Newsletter
Two significant customer convenience enhancements are rolling out for the Port’s BreezeBy system as part of the larger Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system upgrade the Port initiated over a year ago. A new web portal for BreezeBy customer account management will be added to the Port’s website in late fall, and later, BreezeBy customers will be able to use their home accounts for toll travel around the Western U.S. and parts of British Columbia.
The Port plans a two-phased approach for the customer web portal launch, with accessibility for existing BreezeBy customers occurring in late October, and functionality to open new accounts online coming in late November. BreezeBy customers will receive more information and account tools in the mail once the web portal launch is complete.
The ETC system upgrade occurred earlier this year, and the new web portal underwent beta testing this past summer. The upgrade includes a transition to multi-protocol sticker-style transponders, enhanced security, and the more robust customer account management web portal on the website. Customers will have access to their accounts for real-time account deposits and transaction activity. (The old system updated individual account adjustments every 24 hours.)
Further, the system upgrade enables the Port to make the switch to more universal, lower cost transponders. Now, the cost for a new regular vehicle transponder is $5, a significant savings from the $15-$30 original models. The moveable transponders will be phased out over the course of the next 6-18 months. The Port plans to phase out all old transponders eventually in order to join a regional movement of interoperability in the western region – enabling toll payment via BreezeBy for other toll roads and bridges throughout the west that use the same system.
The interoperability, requested by the U.S. Department of Transportation, divides the U.S. into four regions, each with its own toll system protocol. The Western region protocol (called 6C) allows drivers to travel from San Diego, CA to Vancouver, BC and as far east as Denver, CO using the 6C protocol, which the Port’s new technology matches. This technology allows tolling authorities to pass tolls between entities from a customer’s home tolling authority. “That means BreezeBy customers would be able to use their accounts to pay tolls in the Seattle-Tacoma or San Francisco Bay areas, as well as many other western U.S. locations,” says Fred Kowell, Port chief financial officer, who is overseeing the transition. “It’s especially a benefit to trucking companies that travel extensively and will more easily be able to manage toll payments in various regions.”
Three other U.S. regions share protocols for interoperability. The Northeast region has offered interoperability for close to 10 years, while the Mid-West rolled out its specific technology more recently. The Southeast region’s system is still under development.
The Port will continue its currently policy regarding transponder purchases. Each household may receive one free transponder, and additional transponders can be purchased for the $5-$27 cost, depending on type. Issuance of new transponders began August 1 after new lane loops were installed and passed systems tests.
The new BreezeBy software operating system was designed, developed and implemented by P-Square Solutions, a custom software development and consulting company with expertise in tolling systems, specifically for the Port of Hood River. P-Square Solutions will continue providing tolling system support services to the Port.
Bridge Futures
by Michael McElwee, Port Executive Director
From the Fall 2017 Port Newsletter
The Oregon Legislature recently passed two pieces of legislation that increase prospects for replacement of the Hood River/White Salmon Interstate Bridge, one of the Port of Hood River’s highest priorities.
House Bill 2750 would allow a new bridge to be built through a partnership between a private business and the Port of Hood River. While Oregon statutes allow the State to participate in public/private partnerships (P3), the same authority did not extend to other public agencies. HB 2750 enables the Port to consider a P3 option if that is determined to be the best plan moving forward. With limited public funding available for major infrastructure projects, this development is significant. It allows the Port to consider innovative options to address the significant challenge of funding bridge replacement. It also conveys other authorities to the Port similar to those granted to ODOT on matters such as tolling, construction contracting, and enforcement. In sum, HB 2750 enables this community to choose a replacement option that best addresses its needs, while removing potential barriers to completion.
House Bill 2017, the widely discussed Transportation Funding Package, will provide $5 million to the Port of Hood River to carry out crucial pre-development steps for potential bridge replacement. These include a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a thorough geotechnical assessment, traffic modeling and detailed financial analyses. These actions increase the certainty of obtaining required permits; decrease construction risk (underlying geology is a significant area of cost exposure); and determine the most appropriate financing methods for bridge replacement. HB 2017 has very positive implications for our state’s overall transportation system. Including funding for the Hood River/White Salmon Bridge in the the state transportation package recognizes it as an integral part of the regional transportation system.
HB 2750 was approved due to the sponsorship and advocacy of Rep. Mark Johnson and Sen. Chuck Thomsen throughout the legislative session. Any piece of legislation is challenging, but these elected officials were able to build bi-partisan support in both chambers. The Port and this community were well served by their efforts.
Although these are very positive steps, replacement of the Hood River/White Salmon Bridge is not assured. Building a large piece of bridge infrastructure in a relatively low population area with decreasing levels of federal funding is a significant challenge. Unfortunately, under any foreseeable scenario, the bridge will likely be a toll facility. Tolls are the only possible source of the significant local match required for federal grant funding, and a P3 would rely almost entirely upon tolls to repay borrowed capital. And, if bridge replacement planning and funding efforts are ultimately unsuccessful, it will be incumbent upon the Port to keep the existing antiquated bridge safe and operational for as long as possible. That will require significant funding — capital repair costs alone are expected to exceed $25 million in the next 15 years. This fall, the Port Commission will consider a staff proposal to raise tolls early in 2018. The proposal will include a $1 increase in cash tolls and a 20 cents increase in BreezeBy tolls.
Although any toll increase is undesirable, Port staff believes it will be necessary to respond to either of two futures: the opportunity to replace the current bridge or the costly reality of maintaining the current structure. The path forward will become more clear in the next several years.
Hours of Bridge Closures for October
UPDATE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12. The late night closure scheduled for 11PM-3AM tonight has been cancelled. Bridge engineers were able to complete their work ahead of schedule.
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Port crews have developed a schedule for the lift span repair work planned for October 9-10. There will be prolonged, full closures of the bridge between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m Monday – Tuesday, October 9-10. This work will require a series of full lifts of the bridge lift span. Each closure is expected to last 40-60 minutes in duration. Due to these significant delays, motorists are encouraged to cross the Columbia at The Dalles or Cascade Locks during these hours. This work is the result of an act of vandalism to the bridge lift span electrical and mechanical controls that occurred on or around September 21. Anyone with information about the incident are encouraged to contact the City of Hood River police detective Anthony Frasier at (541) 387-5257.
There will be two, late night, four-hour full closures of the Bridge October 11 and 12. These closures will go from 11:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. the nights of the Wednesday (into Thursday morning) and Thursday (into Friday morning). Only emergency response vehicles will be allowed crossings during these hours.These closures are for strain gage testing of the lift span and the staging of equipment for repairs to the auxiliary truss and floorbeam. These night time closure will help to decrease impacts on daytime traffic on the bridge.
Update to Bridge Closure Schedule for October 2017
Due to emergency repairs resulting from an act of vandalism to the control room and north tower, the schedule of closures has changed.
October 9 through October 10, bridge engineers will be conducting operational and mechanical safety testing on the bridge lift span. This work will require multiple full closures of the bridge as the lift span will be raised to full height for tests. These full closures could result in delays up to one hour in duration, multiple times throughout the day and night.
October 12, there will be a prolonged, night time full closure of the bridge the evening from 11:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. for strain gage testing on the lift span. This complete closure during night time hours will help to decrease impacts on daytime travel across the bridge.
October 11-25, the previously planned Auxiliary Truss and Floorbeam repair work will be underway. This work will require intermittent, single lane closures of the bridge for up to two weeks, as work crews build and install the platforms near the south tower, suspended under the bridge. Once the work platforms are installed, limited closures related to this work are anticipated until November, when the crews will need to move the platforms to the north tower. Each of these closures is expected to last up to 30 minutes.
For more information visit portofhoodriver.com or email porthr@gorge.net.
Single Lane Closures Beginning October 2 for Repairs to Bridge Auxiliary Truss and Floorbeam
Extensive upgrades to critical structural support trusses on the Hood River/White Salmon Interstate Bridge will begin October 2, 2017 by Minnesota-based firm Abhe & Svoboda, Inc. Intermittent single-lane closures on the bridge will be necessary for up to two weeks for set up and staging of equipment and construction of a work platform that will be suspended under the bridge for the duration of the project.
Beginning October 2, likely continuing through October 16, bridge users should expect delays of up to 30 minutes in both directions. Once the platform is in place, crews will make repairs to the auxiliary truss and the floorbeam from under the bridge, mitigating the need for further closures. However, when the work platform is moved to the north lift tower in November, the Port anticipates another period of single lane closures.
The auxiliary truss is a major component of the bridge’s steel super structure, added to the bridge in 1936 as part of the reconstruction project that converted the main span of the bridge to a vertical lift span. This conversion was required by the U.S. Secretary of War to increase the vertical navigation clearance in preparation for the rising river levels resulting from the construction of Bonneville Dam. Auxiliary trusses provide lateral support for the lift towers. The photo show the damage that has occurred as a result of regular wear and tear to the structure over time. This is a high priority repair that cannot be delayed, despite the Eagle Creek fire-related closure of I-84 eastbound.
The Port issued a public bid solicitation for the project earlier this year, and Abhe & Svoboda, Inc. was the low bidder, with a bid of $367,770. The Port Board of Commissioners approved the contract on June 6. Work is scheduled to continue through December, but the majority of the work will have no effect on traffic flow, as it will be performed from platforms suspended under the bridge deck.
For more information, contact the Port of Hood River via email to porthr@gorge.net.
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