This presentation is eligible for 1 AICP CM credit (number #9292278)
Join us for June’s Urban Design Panel, where the Burnside Bridge Team presents their final bridge alternatives.
Learn about the Range of Bridge Type Options for the Future Burnside Bridge
Building on the last presentation to the Urban Design Panel in January 2024, the Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge project architects will unveil illustrations of several variations of both tied arch and cable-stayed bridge types for consideration and comment.
The project is now in the Final Design Phase where architects, engineers and contractors are working through key design decisions. The first decision milestone is to determine the bridge type for the east approach. After analysis on a broad range of options, the county has refined the list to a short range of options for public consideration and input via an online open house from late June through July. Join project architects and engineers as they share the range of bridge type options and seek feedback from the Urban Design Panel.
Experts say there is a one in three chance of a magnitude 8 or greater earthquake occurring in our region within the lifetime of most Oregon residents, however none of the downtown vehicular bridges carrying 41 lanes of traffic are expected to be immediately usable after a major earthquake. That is why Multnomah County is working on creating a seismically resilient new Burnside Bridge.
Located in the heart of downtown Portland and on a regional lifeline route, a resilient Burnside Bridge will play a critical role in emergency response, rescue and recovery after the earthquake. It will also be a new landmark in our city providing multimodal travel for the next century.
Learn about the Burnside Bridge architects: www.BEAM-architects.com
Speakers
Megan Neill, PE
Engineering Services Manager, Multnomah County
Megan Neill is an Engineering Services Manager of the Bridge Section for the Multnomah County Transportation Division. Megan supports a team of engineers, bridge operators, and maintenance staff who provide capital planning, project delivery and asset management for six of Portland’s iconic Willamette River Bridges. In her current role as the Design Phase Project Manager for the Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge Project, she works collaboratively with the public, stakeholders, and agency partners to improve the resiliency for our region’s transportation network.
James Marks RIBA RIAS Int’l Assoc. AIA
Director, BEAM Architects
James Marks is a Bridge Architect and Director at specialist design firm BEAM Architects. His international expertise includes many award-winning bridges of all scales, ranging from small bespoke structures such as the Koolangka Crossing in Perth Australia, to major infrastructure including the Mario M Cuomo Bridge in New York and the Kingston Third Crossing in Ontario Canada. As former Associate Director at Wilkinson Eyre Architects, James was personally responsible for many high-profile bridges including Media City Footbridge in England, Peace Bridge in Northern Ireland, Nesciobrug in the Netherlands
Keith Brownlie FRSA RIBA RIAS Int’l Assoc. AIA NCARB
Director, BEAM Architects
Keith Brownlie is an Architect and founder of specialist bridge design firm BEAM-Architects. He has an established international reputation for bridge design and has been involved in many significant bridge projects over three decades. Recently completed major projects include the new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge in Washington DC and the Long Beach International Gateway in California. Earlier projects include the Stirling Prize winning Gateshead Millennium Bridge and many other award-winning bridges across the globe. He reviews nationally significant infrastructure on behalf of UK govt. and is a keen advocate of sustainable bridge development.
Steve Drahota, PE
Senior Vice President, HDR Engineering
With over 30 years of experience designing bridges, as well as leading teams on large multi-disciplinary transportation projects, Steve is serving as the EQRB Project’s Design Team Project Manager. Prior to his current role in the Final Design Phase, Steve served as the Technical Lead and Project Manager on the Burnside Bridge’s Maintenance Project, Feasibility Study, and Environmental Study over the past 10 years. Steve has led the design of over 70 bridges in his career and has extensive experience balancing bridge architectural and structural needs for bridges in high-seismic regions throughout the West Coast.