New Bridge in Oakland, Douglas County Accessible To Commuters

OAKLAND, Ore. — Just before sunrise on Wednesday morning, February 28,  traffic was diverted onto the new Oakland Bridge that replaced the aging single-lane Oakland Bridge on the north side of town.

Work has been underway for two years. The Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT) said that a new era has arrived for the historic community of Oakland. The main contractor- Stayton’s Farline Bridge Inc., started construction on the bridge in February 2022, building on the north side of the original bridge.

ODOT confirmed that the original bridge was built in 1925. At the time vehicles were small and travel lanes were narrow. Over time, the bridge could no longer cope with two lanes of modern traffic and was eventually limited to a single lane, with a traffic signal on each side.

Travel between downtown Oakland and Interstate 5 is now safer and easier, as the new bridge has 2 travel lanes and there are wide shoulders for pedestrians and cyclists. In the interim, the new structure will support one lane of traffic until the roadway approaches for the second lane are paved next month. Farline Bridge Inc. is still removing the streetlight and traffic signal pole, and building the other lane that connects to the bridge. Flaggers will provide traffic control for the next few weeks.

Douglas County Partnered With ODOT On New Oakland Bridge

Douglas County partnered with ODOT on the $22.6 million project. The majority of the funding was provided through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Competitive Highway Bridge Program. The new bridge replaces the Oakland Bridge as well as the Conn Ford Bridge west of Roseburg.

Tom Kress, Douglas County Commissioner Tom Kress said that the county’s 300-plus bridges are still aging, and the county will continue to seek out funding opportunities and partnerships to repair or replace the structures to provide critical access for residents, first responders, employers, visitors, and schools for the next 50-100 years.

While ODOT and contractors often try to salvage rails from historic bridges, in the case of the old Oakland Bridge, the railing is contaminated with lead and other hazardous materials, according to the agency. It will either be treated as hazardous waste for disposal or recycled. Kress said that the project to replace the Old Hwy 99 Oakland Bridge has been a fantastic partnership with ODOT.

The old bridge will be removed, and all other work is also scheduled to be completed this summer.