Riverfront Downtown Urban Renewal Area - Overview       

Photo courtesy of Obec

Union Street Railroad Bridge Re-opened May 15 ~ Connecting a Community  ~

Thirty years of planning and putting ideas into action were all worth it. The long-awaited Union Street Railroad Bridge is now open to runners, cyclists, and pedestrians. In this program, Salem residents and city and state officials express their excitement about the opening of this historic bridge and future plans to build a second bridge that will connect Wallace Marine Park, Riverfront Park, and Minto Brown Island Park.    Streaming Video ~ (Requires Windows Media Player)

Date		Milestone
July 11, 2010	| | |	National TPEA Award
May 15, 2010	| | |	Re-opens
Apr 9, 2010	| | | |	Oregon Heritage Excellence Award
Jan 13, 2010 Nov 9, 2009	| | | | | | | |	Engineering Excellence Award Phase II Construction begins Bridge closure
Oct 12, 2009	| | | |	Information to Council
Sept 24, 2009	| | | |	Low Bid - S&K Painting, Inc
April 18 2009 10 AM	| | | |	Grand Opening Ceremony
2/27/09	| | | |	ODOT approves #3.5M for lead paint encapsulation
2008	| | | |	Construction begins
03/06/08	| | | |	Ceremony marks start of bridge renovation
2/14/08	| | | | | | | |	ODOT issued notice to proceed to Carter & Company, Inc., a Salem contractor, to convert the bridge into a bike and pedestrian facility
11/19/07	| | | | | | | | | | | | | |	Council approved funding  includes: OR Transportation Commission Grant $1,346,376; OR Parks Dept.  Grant $575,700; Urban Renewal Grant  $1,118,000; City Ambulance Funds $225,000
10/25/07	| | | | |	Low bid - Carter & Company Inc
1/11/06	| | | | |	Bridge put on National Register of Historic Places
2004	| | | | |	City of Salem buys bridge for $1
1996	| | | | |	Bridge taken over by Union Pacific Railroad
1980	| | | | |	Lift Span permanently closed (Coast Guard approved)
1970s	| | | | |	Trestle vandalized, but structurally sound
1913	| | | | |	Bridge built by Southern Pacific Railway to connect Salem with the west Willamette Valley

Description

Phase I
Phase I of this project converted the historic Union Street Railroad Bridge and its associated timber trestle, built across the Willamette River in 1912-13, into a facility for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized users.  The project provides a critical half-mile link in the bicycle and pedestrian circulation systems for the community, the region, and the state.

Carter & Company, Inc., a Salem, Oregon contractor, was awarded the construction contract on February 14, 2008, construction started April 2008 and lasted one year.  HDR engineering firm designed the conversion and performed the project management.  

The Phase I Grand Opening celebration occurred April 18, 2009; check out the photo gallery. 

Phase II

Want to Get Involved? The Friends of Two Bridges is a non -profit grassroots group dedicated to the design  and construction of the Minto Island Bridge and the Union Street  Railroad Bridge.  In addition to gathering support for conversion of the Union Street Railroad Bridge, the group worked on its ribbon cutting ceremony and an interpretive display.  The group is also gathering support for funding the Minto Island to Riverfront Park bridge connection.   The Friends of Two Bridges meets monthly, on the third Monday at 1:00 PM, in the Urban Development Conference Room, 350 Commercial St NE.    Contact Hazel Patton at 503.581.4939 or  email her at ptn1363@msn.com  to be added to the email roster.

Thanks to a $3.5 M American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant from ODOT, this project will be completed years earlier than expected. 

Phase II  includes lead paint encapsulation and installation of security cameras.  This work was performed by S&K Painting Inc, a contractor out of Clackamas, Oregon.  Construction started November 9, 2009 and was complete May 14, 2010. 

Description
Two large urban parks: Wallace Marine (114 acres) and Riverfront (23 acres), book end this bridge and the conversion connects their trail systems into a single, safe and pleasant, family-friendly network.  Frequently Asked Questions about the project.  

The Union Street Railroad Bridge project has improved bicycle and pedestrian safety and accessibility.  It encourages the use of alternative transportation modes and promotes healthy forms of exercise like running, cycling, skating, and wheelchairing. 

The project complements both the state-designated Willamette River Water Trail and a potential future footbridge project which will connect across Willamette Slough from the south end of Riverfront Park to Minto Brown Island Park (900 acres), adding fourteen miles of trails to the network.  Salem Downtown Parks Connections - Three Parks, Two Bridges, One Community.  

Important Documents

Staff Contact
Todd Klocke  503.588.6178