Yaquina Bay Bridge work begins, Aug. 10

ODOT release – NEWPORT – Work to preserve the iconic Yaquina Bay Bridge is underway. While most activity will be under the bridge and will not disrupt traffic, two expansion joints on the north end of the Yaquina Bay Bridge will be replaced this week. Expansion joints connect sections of the bridge, allowing the road to expand and contract with the weather. Travelers should expect delays at night, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 10, 11, and 12, from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m. each night. Traffic will be controlled by flaggers. This work was originally scheduled for August 5 and 6 but was delayed by weather. At the south end of the bridge, the staging area is being organized for the three and a half year Yaquina Bay Maintenance and Improvements project. This project will replace the current cathodic protection on the bridge, which prevents the steel of the bridge from being corroded by placing a zinc coating on the surface of the bridge structure. Damaged concrete will be repaired, and seismic upgrades installed to retrofit the bridge to current standards. The east sidewalk will be closed for the duration of the project, as it was during the recent painting project. Expect some single lane closures on the bridge at night, with flaggers controlling traffic. Work will be done in different sections of the bridge at the same time. Work hours will vary. Construction will be noisy, with sandblasting, spray coating, and generators. The Yaquina Bay Bridge opened to traffic in 1936 and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2005.