Longview Hills @ Newport Oregon

SPENCER CREEK BRIDGE PROJECT EARNS FEDERAL APPROVAL

CORVALLIS -- The Federal Highway Administration has signed the Record of Decision for the Spencer Creek Bridge project, clearing the way for the critically needed upgrade to enter its final design stage.

The project is located about 5 miles north of Newport on US 101, adjacent to Beverly Beach State Park. The project will replace a temporary detour bridge built in 1999 and the original 1947 bridge, which was taken out of service seven years ago due to structural instability. The new bridge will be constructed in about the same location as the 1947 bridge. Due to funding constraints, the project is planned for construction in two units. Unit 1 would be constructed beginning in later this year. Unit 2 is not yet scheduled for construction.

Unit 1, which is the section of highway immediately adjacent to Beverly Beach State Park, will involve constructing a new bridge and bridge approach roads from about 1,000 feet north of Spencer Creek to N.E. 123rd Street.

Unit 2 will include construction south of N.E. 123rd Street, to just north of Wade Creek. This second phase would shift US 101 (inside the project area) to the east about 50 feet in order to limit ocean erosion impacts currently impacting the highway. This unit will involve constructing a large retaining wall west of the houses on the bluff. The eastward shift of the highway will require the relocation of the NE Beverly Drive access to N.E. 123 Street about 75 feet east of the existing location.

Federal approval of the Record of Decision completes the National Environmental Policy Act process for the project. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was released in July 2004, and a public hearing was held in September 2004. A Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was published in March 2006.2004, and a public hearing was held in September 2004. A Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was published in March 2006.

Copies of the Record of Decision and previous supporting documents are available at the ODOT District 4 office in Corvallis. They are also available online at the ODOT Region 2 web site http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION2/spencercreek.shtml.

For more information or copies of the Record of Decision, contact Duane James Liner, Consultant Project Manager, ODOT, 37000 SW Philomath Blvd, Corvallis OR 97333 (541-757-4158 or e-mail Duane.J.Liner@odot.state.or.us)