By: Paige Rouse,
for the Port of Hood River
The past year has brought with it some remarkable events – and remarkable challenges – for the Port of Hood River Maintenance and Facilities crew. The June 3, 2016 oil train derailment in nearby Mosier caused a fire that closed I-84 in both directions for more than 12 hours. Port crews worked to supply first responders with oil booms and cleanup supplies that were rushed to the site via motorboat and helped to contain the spilled oil. Freeway traffic was detoured in both directions over the bridge, and crews worked hard to assist Oregon and Washington State Police and transportation departments in handling the traffic snarl. Afterwards, significant deck welding and guard rail repairs kept crews busy for days.
Port of Hood River Facilities Crew, from left: Rob Arnold, Steve DePriest, John Mann, Celestino Negrete, Lewis Ambers, Travis Gaston, Gerardo Cruz-Bravo
More intensive repair and upgrade work on the bridge came next, as Port crews assisted Stafford Bandlow Engineers in addressing damages related to a suspected barge allision against the north lift tower pier in late 2015. The bridge’s lift span mechanics and electrical systems went through several inspections, each requiring periodic closures of the bridge for lifts. The lift span’s skew system and electrical controls were also upgraded. As such a busy and important transportation link for our entire region, any closure of the bridge causes headaches, but Port crews make it a priority to ensure safety of workers and bridge users while also working to make closures as brief as possible.
A frustrating and elusive electrical issue affecting the C Dock north tenants in the Marina kept Port crews busy from July through December as the cause of power breaker trips evaded detection by even expert electricians and engineers. On-call response to power trips became a constant scheduling challenge while long-term solutions remained undiscovered. Crews installed GFCI breakers on each pedestal on C Dock in an effort to disrupt the dock-wide outages, but the cause of the trips remains unsolved.
Extreme winter weather affects almost everyone around Port facilities, and this season has been especially challenging. Significant winter storms started just after Thanksgiving, and have been relentless through December, January, and early February. Removing snow and ice on the bridge, especially on the approaches, is the number one priority for Port maintenance staff.
The already narrow lanes leave little room for snowbanks, and ice build-up on the steel deck and other parts of the bridge can create hazardous conditions. Keeping this essential transportation link open and clear often means long nights and early mornings for maintenance crews.
Likewise, snow removal for the Ken Jernstedt Airfield runway, fuel dock, FBO, and hangars is important for access. “Everything that has black top at the Airport gets cleared,” explained Lewis Ambers, facilities maintenance lead. “We have to use caution where we place big piles of snow so there is clearance for wingspans.”
On top of those two significant needs, the Hood River Marina, plus Port parking lots and sidewalks require clearing. Lot 1 also requires snow removal for eventualities of I-84 closures. The Port coordinates with ODOT for vehicles to park there to wait out the storm. (I-84 has closed three times so far this winter.)
To aid in their efforts, maintenance staff has two heavy-duty trucks with hydraulic front plows, a Freightliner dumptruck with massive plow, a John Deere tractor to dig snow if they aren’t able to plow, plus a lightweight snowblower – oh yes, and shovels. The maintenance department employs seven full-time workers year-round: three plow at night beginning at either 11:30 p.m. or 2:00 a.m., and the others begin at 5:00 a.m.

by Michael McElwee,
Port Executive Director
The Hood River/White Salmon Interstate Bridge opened on December 9, 1924, when Calvin Coolidge was President. Within a year, 79,545 cars, 67 stage coaches and 3,920 livestock had crossed the river. In 1939 the lift span was installed due to construction of Bonneville Dam. World War II began that year in Europe.
Photo credit: Blaine Franger
The bridge is a visible reminder of a broad sweep of history from the beginning of the 20th century. It has connected Gorge communities and served a vital role in our regional economy for 93 years. But now it needs to be replaced to serve our region’s needs for the next 100 years.
The bridge is well past its design life. Its sufficiency rating, a numeric representation of reliability and functionality, is 48.8, a strong indicator of functional obsolescence. It is an extreme bottleneck during frequent highway closures. It has 9’4” travel lanes, vastly undersized for today’s vehicles, and no pedestrian or bicycle facilities. The 80,000-pound weight limit restricts freight movement. A sizable earthquake would likely cause catastrophic damage. The lift span opening represents the greatest navigational hazard on the entire Columbia/Snake River inland waterway system.
For these reasons, and more, the Port of Hood River Commission set course in 2015 to pursue bridge replacement. The prospects are daunting. $280-$300 million will be required to plan, design and construct a new bridge, at a time of limited public financing for infrastructure. Our region’s population density, traffic volumes and freight utilization rates are low compared to competing projects. Replacement is not a priority of either state transportation agency because of their significant and largely under-funded system responsibilities.
But there are also reasons for optimism. Early permitting steps are complete. The 2015 FAST Act provides new opportunities for federal funding and talk of a national infrastructure plan continues. The bridge is on the National Highway System (NHS) and transportation projects in the National Scenic Area are FAST Act-eligible. A recent cost/benefit analysis showed significant positive economic benefits—crucial when competing for project funding. And the Oregon Legislature is considering a significant transportation funding package in 2017.
The Port is seeking to build upon these advantages and opportunities. With sponsorship by Representative Mark Johnson and Senator Chuck Thomsen, two bills have been introduced in the 2017 Oregon Legislature. House Bill 2750 would provide clear statutory authority for the Port to pursue the development and construction of a replacement bridge under either public or private funding models. House Bill 2749 would fund completion of permitting and preliminary engineering work, increasing both the project’s eligibility for construction funding and the potential for a private equity partnership.
Without this legislation, the Port’s ability to take the next major steps towards bridge replacement would be greatly diminished. The Port would need to focus almost exclusively on keeping the existing bridge safe and operational for as long as possible. Capital funding demands for upgrades and repairs will increase. And prospects for either a reduced weight limit or sudden closure from earthquake or vessel strike will grow by the year.
Community support for bridge replacement efforts is crucial. For more information, visit portofhoodriver.com/bridge. Or, sign up and support the efforts of OneGorge (OneGorge.org), an informal public/private group that advocates for regional legislative priorities.
The time for a new bridge is now.