OR 38 Bridge.

Fought and Company Fabricates New Modern OR 38 Bridge over Umpqua River in Scottsburg, OR.

Scottsburg, Oregon

Oregon 38 (Umpqua Highway) is a vital route between Interstate 5, the southern Oregon coast, and the Port of Coos Bay. Although many other bridges along Oregon 38 have been replaced, the Scottsburg Bridge remains largely unchanged since it was built. Opened in 1929, during an era when most vehicles were small and speeds low, the bridge’s narrow lanes and tight corners at both ends are not designed for modern traffic.

Over the years, ODOT has focused on maintaining the existing bridge and addressing problems as they arise. Fully repairing the bridge would involve repainting the green steel truss and repairing any bad steel sections, repairing and repaving the deck and replacing the deck joints, replacing the concrete railing, repairing the concrete pier caps, and strengthening the bridge to better withstand earthquakes.

However, such repairs wouldn’t address the more fundamental problems with the bridge, the narrow width, sharp approach curves, and low overhead clearance. Due to the need for so many repairs and improvements to the existing structure, ODOT concluded that the construction of a new bridge is a better long-term investment. A new bridge will better accommodate modern traffic and will be more likely to withstand a large earthquake or other natural disaster.

As a result, ODOT designed a replacement bridge that meets modern standards with a total project cost of approximately $42,848,000. Fought and Company has been contracted by Hamilton Construction to manufacture the steel girders and cross supports with a weight of approximately 1,800 tons. Fought is currently in the process of disassembling the first of three sections. Prior to assembly and disassembly, careful attention is paid to proper layout, leveling, and pitch of girders.

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