North Aberdeen Bridge Project

Initial alternatives

Before selecting the preferred alternative, the project team considered a variety of solutions that would achieve the project’s objectives. These initial alternatives were brainstormed by the City of Aberdeen, Consultant Design Team and the Project Stakeholder Group. Please click the links below for further details on each of the initial alternatives that were considered during the first part of the Alternatives Analysis process:

Option 1:

Rehabilitate or upgrade existing bridge (no new bridge)

Option 1a:

1
Rehabilitate the existing bridge; maintain (2) vehicle lanes and sidewalk
2
Detour traffic onto temporary bridge next to existing bridge during construction

Potential North Aberdeen Bridge alternative that rehabilitates the existing bridge with a traffic detour onto a temporary bridge next to existing bridge during construction.

Potential visual of the existing bridge after rehabilitation work is completed.

Permanent existing bridge

Temporary bridge

Option 1b:

1
Rehabilitate the existing bridge; maintain (2) vehicle lanes and sidewalk
2
Build temporary bridge offsite and detour traffic during construction

Temporary bridge

Permanent condition: existing bridge

Option 2:

Build a new bridge & keep part or all of existing bridge

Option 2a:

1
Build new bridge next to the existing Young St. Bridge (vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycle access)
2
Rehabilitate the southern portion of existing bridge and leave in place (City will evaluate if this section can be used as a viewing platform)
3
Remove northern portion of existing bridge

Potential North Aberdeen Bridge alternative that involves building a new bridge while retaining the southern portion of the existing bridge and removing the northern portion.

Permanent condition

View of potential new bridge adjacent to the remaining southern portion of the existing bridge.

Existing portion to remain

Option 2b:

1
Build new bridge next to the existing Young St. Bridge for vehicles
2
Rehabilitate existing bridge for pedestrian and bicyclist use only

Potential North Aberdeen Bridge alternative that involves building a new bridge while retaining the existing bridge for pedestrian and bicyclist use only.

Permanent Condition

Option 2c:

1
Build new bridge over the existing Young St. Bridge
2
Keep the southern portion of existing bridge intact
3
Detour traffic onto temporary bridge during construction

Aerial view of southern portion of the existing bridge that could be retained in this option.

Existing portion to remain

Temporary bridge

Option 2d:

1
Build a new permanent bridge offsite (example shown at 4th Ave. to Thomas St.)
2
Rehabilitate existing bridge for pedestrian and bicyclist use only

Potential North Aberdeen Bridge alternative that involves building a new bridge, with approaches at 4th Avenue and Thomas Street, while retaining the existing bridge for pedestrian and bicyclist use only.

Permanent condition: offsite bridge

View of potential new bridge built offsite, with potential approaches at 4th Avenue and Thomas Street.

Permanent condition: existing bridge for peds/bikes

Option 3:

Build new bridge & remove existing bridge

Option 3a:

1
Build new bridge that looks similar to existing bridge in same location
2
Remove the existing bridge and repurpose parts of bridge in Kurt Cobain Memorial Park
3
Detour traffic onto temporary bridge during construction

Potential North Aberdeen Bridge alternative that involves building a new bridge in the existing bridge's style while retaining parts of the existing bridge to be repurposed into the Kurt Cobain Memorial Park. Traffic would be detoured onto a temporary bridge during construction.

Temporary bridge

Permanent bridge

Option 3b:

1
Build new bridge with modern appearance, in same location as existing bridge
2
Remove the existing bridge and repurpose parts of bridge in Kurt Cobain Memorial Park
3
Detour traffic onto temporary bridge during construction

Potential North Aberdeen Bridge alternative that involves building a new bridge with a modern appearance while retaining parts of the existing bridge to be repurposed into the Kurt Cobain Memorial Park. Traffic would be detoured onto a temporary bridge during construction.

Permanent bridge

Temporary bridge

Option 3c:

1
Build new bridge in same location as existing bridge (vehicles, pedestrians, bicycle access)
2
Remove the existing bridge and repurpose parts of bridge in Kurt Cobain Memorial Park
3
Temporary bridge not required - build new bridge in 2 stages; in 1st stage build Shared Use Path (pedestrian and bicycle access) section and use for temporary bridge (avoids separate temporary bridge)

Potential North Aberdeen Bridge alternative that involves building a new bridge in stages while retaining parts of the existing bridge to be repurposed into the Kurt Cobain Memorial Park. Traffic would be detoured onto the future Shared Use Path section during construction as a temporary measure, avoiding the need to build a separate temporary bridge nearby.

Visual showing a potential stage 1 of bridge construction that would build the future Shared Use Path section first to be used as a temporary bridge for traffic while the rest of the bridge is being construction.

STAGE 1: Construct shared use path and use as temporary bridge

Visual showing a potential stage 2 of bridge construction that would remove the existing bridge and build the remaining portion of the permanent bridge, while traffic is detoured onto the future Shared Use Path section of the permanent bridge.

STAGE 2: Remove existing bridge and construct remaining portion of permanent bridge

The project team will evaluate opportunities to salvage and re-purpose bridge elements in the Kurt Cobain Memorial Park:

Re-purpose pier cap and south abutment into park features
Re-assemble southern portion of bridge in park

Option 4:

Do nothing.

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