Center Street Bridge Project Continues on Schedule

The Center Street Bridge project is progressing as planed city officials said Friday.

All photos by Kevin Hays

(SALEM) - The stream diversion switched from the west side to the east side so that demolition of the center pier of the old bridge could be completed.

Work on the new sewer line is underway.

The new sewer manhole is complete and bypass pumping of sewage around the construction site continues while the new line is being installed.

Pile driving for the new bridge has begun and may last for the next few weeks.

While this will be a noisy process, the pile driving hammer will not be banging away continuously during the work day.

Crews say the pile driving brings on-lookers everyday.

The city is communicating with those that live closest to the pile driving operation to let them know how the project is progressing and answering any concerns they may have,

As an added safety precaution, crews are delaying pedestrian traffic crossing the temporary bridge for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

Center Street NE is currently closed to all through traffic between 17th Street NE and 14th Street NE so crews can replace the bridge that crosses Mill Creek.

The old bridge, was built in 1914, and is being replaced with a new, wider bridge that will accommodate vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic.

The new bridge will have two vehicle travel lanes and one left-turn lane, plus new shoulders, curbs, and sidewalks on each side

The estimated total cost for the project is $2.6 million.

It is part of the more than $6.0 million in OTIA funds earmarked to improve the Center Street Bridge and four other Salem bridges.

Bridges scheduled for improvement in 2007 are the State Street Bridge over Mill Creek and the 25th Street Bridge over Shelton Ditch.