The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement Project has launched its new website at www.hoodriverbridge.org. The new site provides all essential information about the project to the community.
The new comprehensive website is a collaboration between the Port of Hood River, the Bistate Working Group and the project team. The website features information about the current bridge’s limitations, benefits of the new bridge design, and updates on the project’s progress.
Read MoreDuring its February 21, 2023 meeting the Port of Hood River Board of Commissioners approved a resolution restoring the load limits for trucks on the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate bridge, following a two-year effort. The restored limits will be posted at 25 tons for Type 3 vehicles, 40 tons for Type 3S2 and Type 3-3, 27 tons for the SU4, 31 tons for the SU5, 34 tons for the SU6, 38 tons for the SU7 vehicles, 28 tons for the EV2 and 29 tons for the EV3.
Read MoreA new bipartisan bill introduced to the Oregon Legislature, Senate Bill 431, aims to provide $125 million in state funding for the construction of a new Hood River-White Salmon Bridge. The new bridge will replace the nearly 100-year-old steel structure currently connecting the mid-Columbia communities. The bill is sponsored by Senator Daniel Bonham and Representative Jeff Helfrich along with co-sponsors Senators Findley, Gorsek, and Hansell, as well as Representatives Lewis, McLain, and Pham K. These sponsors are working to get the bill passed and secure Oregon state funding for the new bridge. The bill is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday, February 7, in front of the Joint Transportation Committee.
Read MoreThe Hood River-White Salmon Interstate bridge will be closed to all traffic for four consecutive days, beginning at 12:01 a.m. the morning of Friday, May 19 through 11:59 p.m. the night of May 22. During this 96-hour period, crews from Hamilton Construction will remove and replace and adjust the tension in the wire ropes that support the counterweights. The work will include complete replacement and adjustment of the counterweight ropes. The work is not weather dependent and will be underway continuously round the clock during the entire closure.
Read MoreHood River, OR – Federal grant applications for the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement project were not awarded in 2022. But the project team says these first attempts to secure federal funding won’t be the last and that this will not affect the project timeline to replace the outdated and deficient bridge.
On December 21, 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation notified the Port of Hood River and the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement project team that the project was not awarded any federal grants in 2022. The project team is continuing funding efforts in the upcoming legislative sessions in Oregon and Washington and will also reapply for federal grants this year. Mayor Marla Keethler of White Salmon explained, “While not ideal news, we remain encouraged by the federal and state support for our project. The focus remains having a new bridge in place by the end of 2029, and we’ll be back at it applying for these same federal funds in 2023.”
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