Signs of Progress on Third Avenue Bridge Project

By Doug Verdier

Mill District residents might have observed the recent removal of one of the four tower cranes that had been in place on the Third Avenue bridge for the past many months. The operation took two days, as the horizontal section and operator cab were removed first, then the vertical tower was taken apart section by section and lowered to the bridge deck by the yellow crane.

Prep work is currently underway to repair the base of the bridge pier below the location where the tower crane had been. Crushed rock is being placed in the water around the base of the pier to form a solid platform for workers and equipment to operate from. A cofferdam barrier will be erected around the pier base to create a dry working area and prevent water from flowing around the pier while construction takes place down to the river bottom. The same process was used during repairs of two other piers in mid-river.

Here is the project page.