Barbara Walker Crossing
Portland, Ore.
Award of Merit
Owner: Portland Parks Foundation
Project Manager: Shiels Obletz Johnsen Inc. (SOJ)
Lead Design Firm: Ed Carpenter Studio
Contractor: R&H Construction
Structural Engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers
Landscape Architect: Walker Macy
Subcontractors: Pacific Habitat Services; Cascadian Landscapers Inc.; Columbia River Contractors Inc.; Coulee Concrete Designs LLC; M&M Construction Services Inc.; PLI Systems Inc.; Supreme Steel Inc.; TerraCalc Land Surveying Inc.; Zavala Corp.; Carlson Testing Inc.; A-Cut Above Concrete Cutting LLC; Don Rhyne Painting Co.
Named after one of Portland’s most ardent advocates for parks and trails, the 180-ft crossing allows thousands of hikers and runners to traverse a heavily traveled road. While the curved steel-truss bridge frame was fabricated at an offsite facility, the project team prepared concrete abutments on steep hillsides. To drill and install rock anchors on the south slope’s steep grade, the team blazed a temporary trail that was subsequently decommissioned to restore the area to its natural setting.
Cut into three sections for installation, the bridge frame was transported over five days to the site on separate trailers to safely squeeze the components through a narrow tunnel. After setting the first section, the remaining sections were welded together and hoisted into place during a challenging eight-hour lift. The bridge was completed with pultruded fiberglass decking panels, stainless steel-mesh safety barriers and a “donor circle” structure on the north abutment that features engraved names of project donors.
