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I-5 bridge work goes into high gear- The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, USA Page 2 of 3 <br /> daily for several months to bring •""" <br /> the detour bridge up to the M work <br /> same grade as the interstate on o <br /> the north side of the river. mile <br /> Alton Bad Crews on the north <br /> bank are putting in <br /> Behind the scenes, state and Pak S a temporary work <br /> bridgeconstruction officials are kar�. <br /> speeding upapproval of <br /> iota <br /> permits, double-checks of <br /> engineering figures and review Franklin Boulevard <br /> of construction plans to keep up \ '7 exit will be moved <br /> the pace, Payne said. Willamette eastward Site of <br /> River \, current Franklin <br /> Bridge Boulevard exit will <br /> The projects are on a fast track carry traffic over <br /> because of the expense to Eugene the detour bridge. <br /> consumers - estimated at <br /> $38,000 per day - for added curve:OregonIhrt.of"importation <br /> shipping costs on heavy-haul <br /> trucks that have been detoured Map: Stephanie Barrow/ The <br /> hundreds of miles since March Register Guard <br /> because they can't use the <br /> deteriorating Interstate 5 <br /> bridges through Eugene-Springfield, Payne said. <br /> The bridges are not in immediate danger of falling. Ordinary <br /> truck traffic is not affected by the discovery of cracks in the <br /> concrete girders of the bridge decks. <br /> Caw <br /> While state transportation officials are monitoring the cracks, <br /> there is no reliable engineering formula to predict when they <br /> may worsen to the point that all trucks, or all traffic, may have <br /> to be removed, Payne said. <br /> Construction of the detour bridges won't affect traffic until they <br /> are finished and must be connected to the interstate, and even <br /> then the disruption should be minimal because it will be done <br /> at night. <br /> All traffic will be routed off the current bridge over the <br /> Willamette onto the detour bridge. Northbound traffic will get <br /> on the four-lane span at the site of the current Franklin <br /> Boulevard exit. A new Franklin exit will be built to the east. <br /> Southbound traffic will simply merge onto the new detour <br /> bridge. <br /> The McKenzie bridge project will be much simpler and smaller <br /> in scope, Payne said. <br /> It adds a new span between the two <br /> existing interstate bridges over the <br /> McKenzie north of Eugene. The new <br /> Cow two-lane detour bridge will serve <br /> northbound traffic while the current <br /> northbound structure is renovated. <br /> http://www.registerguard.com/cgi-bin/pri ntStory.py?name=a 1.bridges.1013&date=20031013 10/17/03 <br />