The Oregon Department of Transportation recently announced the end of all night work for the season on the deck of the bridge over D River.  Work continues during the day underneath the bridge.

Last year three bridges on U.S. 101 Oregon Coast Highway began construction for  repairs and the installation of cathodic protection. D River and Schooner Creek Bridges are in Lincoln City. Siltcoos River Bridge is near Dune City, just south of Florence. ​​

Construction began in September 2018  on the D River Bridge and was scheduled to last 16 months. Construction hours were to vary based on the activity. Winter -Spring - Fall. Summer construction hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. beginning June 1 - September 1 there will be no work allowed 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.  There were to be some exceptions with a few nights of paving, announced in advance.

​These bridges have deteriorated from the salt air on the coast and are in need of repair. If nothing is done, the bridges would eventually have to be replaced. They might also need to be load rated, meaning that large vehicles over a certain weight would not be able to travel over them.

What Problem Will This Improve?

​This is one of a series of bridge cathodic protection projects along the Oregon Coast, designed to keep the structures in service for years to come.

​The bridges will receive titanium and steel reinforcements on the bridge deck and along the girders under the bridge to strengthen them. This will require cutting narrow slots and drilling small holes to insert the reinforcements, which will then be secured to the bridge with an epoxy.

Bridge rails will be replaced with new rails that meet current standards. A variety of methods will be needed to remove the old rail while not damaging portions of the bridge that remain, including chipping and hydro-demolition.

The bridges will also receive cathodic protection, which provides a shield of protective coating to prevent the steel from corroding.