Who are we and what do we do?
The Multnomah County Bridge Section manages and maintains six Willamette River Bridges and over twenty smaller bridges elsewhere in the County. Our primary goals are to provide safe transportation facilities for the public, to protect the public investment by preserving our historic bridges, and to help plan for the transportation needs of the 500,000 new residents expected in the Portland area by the year 2020. Our facilities serve Willamette River users, pedestrians, cyclists, automobile commuters, buses, and commercial users. Our employees include: the operators who raise and lower the bridges; the maintenance workers who inspect, respond to emergencies, perform preventative maintenance, and perform maintenance repairs; and engineers who are responsible for design and construction of major repairs, renovations, and upgrades.

Who's responsible for that bridge?
Multnomah County maintains and operates the Sellwood, Hawthorne, Morrison, Burnside, Broadway and Sauvie Island bridges.
The Oregon Department of Transportation maintains the Ross Island, Marquem, Fremont and St John's bridges.
The Union Pacific Railroad maintains the Steel Bridge.

Ongoing Projects:
Sellwood Bridge Project
Multnomah County has begun a planning project to identify a long-term solution for the Sellwood Bridge. After eight decades of use, the bridge is nearing the end of its service life. Visit the Project Website to learn more and tell us what you think, or watch County Chair Ted Wheeler's Sellwood Bridge video.

Morrison Bridge Bike/Pedestrian Improvements
Work has begun to install permanent improvements on the Morrison Bridge for pedestrians and cyclists between SW 2nd Avenue and SE Water Avenue.  Construction is expected to proceed through most of this year. For more information go to the project website.

Other Stuff:
The colorful architectural lights on the Morrison Bridge are now available for your special lighting display.  To learn more about the program and download an application, visit the Willamette Light Brigade, a local non-profit organization that administers the program.

The City of Portland and TriMet have begun construction of the eastside portion of the Portland Streetcar Loop.  A segment across the Broadway Bridge will connect the east and west sides.  The Broadway Bridge segment will be under construction from March 8, 2010 and end April 11, 2011.  For more information call 503-478-6404 or visit http://www.portlandstreetcar.org/constupdates.php. 

Explore the links below to learn more about the Bridge Section's role, and information on bridge types and construction: