The Oregon Department of Transportation is planning to begin construction to make Salem's Center Street Bridge over the Willamette River ready for earthquakes.

ODOT’s upgrades to this bridge will happen in two phases. In Phase 1, ODOT will address seismic resiliency for the sections of the bridge over the Willamette River and two of the ramps on the east side by:  

• Enlarging bridge supports
• Strengthening the river section and eastern side of OR 22 approaching the bridge and the ramp to southbound OR 99E
• Replacing and upgrading the existing City of Salem waterline that’s attached to the bridge to make it more resilient
• Developing an emergency response plan that outlines the most efficient way to reconnect the west side of the bridge after a major seismic event, if it occurs before Phase 2 is completed
  • This plan would allow us to reconnect West Salem and surrounding areas to critical services and I-5 in weeks or months instead of years after a major seismic event. 

In a future Phase 2, ODOT will address the ramps on the west side of the river to make them ready for earthquakes.

The construction of Phase 1 is expected to start in 2026 and continue until 2030. The construction will impact traffic and Salem’s Riverfront and Wallace Marine Parks. We have coordinated with ODOT throughout the design process to minimize these impacts as much as possible and to mitigate for unavoidable impacts to the parks and natural resources.

• Learn more about the Salem Center Street Bridge Seismic Retrofit from the Oregon Department of Transportation