UMATILLA, Ore.-A painting and repair project on the Umatilla Bridge between Washington and Oregon is expected to impact traffic for the rest of the year.
The speed limit has been lowered to 55 miles per hour on Interstate 82 over the bridge, and traffic has been reduced to one lane for the project. A 14-foot-width restriction is also in place for vehicles crossing the bridge.
“The contract working days will extend for another 12 months,” said Scott Klepach with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). “They should be done with the painting by the end of the year; however, we have some structural repairs that may or may not be able to be completed at the same time. So, we need to plan for a 24/7 lane closure for the next 12 months.”
The project involves removing all the paint down to bare metal and painting the entire underneath steel members of the bridge, replacing all damaged/missing rivets, and some structural repairs to the bottom section of the truss, according to Project Engineer Alex Sanguino.
The total budget for the Umatilla Bridge painting and repair project, from planning through construction, is $21,094,778.
The Umatilla Bridge project is being undertaken by the WSDOT, although the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is paying for half of it, according to Klepach.
The ODOT is currently working on a concrete repair project from the Oregon side of the bridge to Interstate 84 in both directions.
Both projects require traffic control, so the two departments are coordinating to ensure there are no conflicting traffic control measures, according to Klepach.
Drivers using the bridge should plan for extra travel time and expect possible delays at peak travel times.
The WSDOT project is expected to be fully-completed in June 2026, according to Sanguino.
