Work begins to preserve another historic Oregon Coast bridge, Feb. 14

A project to install a new cathodic protection system to protect the U.S. 101: Big Creek Bridge is underway on the Oregon Coast Highway between Florence and Yachats (milepost 175.2). The system provides important protection from the harsh coastal environment and extends the useful life of the bridge. The cathodic protection system consists of a carbon based coating applied to the concrete bridge, and an electrical system on a low voltage impressed current. As steel reinforcement embedded in the concrete begins to corrode, the electrical current transfers to the corrosion to the sacrificial carbon based coating. The life of the system is limited. When the carbon based coating is fully sacrificed, the system’s life has expired. In addition, this project will rehabilitate bridge joints and repair damaged concrete on the bridge. Much of the work will be done from a platform that will be built under the bridge; however motorists should anticipate intermittent single lane closures and short delays while traveling through the construction area. Mowat Construction Company was awarded the low bid contract of $1.7 million.