Union Pacific Railroad (UP) will be doing electrical system maintenance work on the Steel Bridge in Portland, Ore., from January 9-18, 2017, which will require the lift portion of the bridge to be kept in the down position. The closure will only impact river traffic. All other transportation modes across the Steel Bridge will remain in operation during the work.
UP is replacing the electrical system to improve lift bridge redundancies and simplify electrical system access for bridge maintenance staff. The Steel Bridge is owned by UP, which performs regular inspections to maintain the bridge’s structural integrity. Inspectors examine each bridge component looking for corrosion or cracks in trusses and decking. The inspections include detailed examinations above and below the bridge deck. The company's bridges are inspected four times more than highway bridges.
The Steel Bridge was built in 1912 and originally carried railroad traffic on the lower deck. The upper deck was used by pedestrians, wagons and buggies.
The company worked with the U.S. Coast Guard and Willamette-River stakeholders to plan the closure.