County completes safety, accessibility upgrades on Hawthorne Bridge

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- After six months of off-and-on closures, crews have now officially completed safety and accessibility upgrades on the Hawthorne Bridge.

According to a Thursday press release from Multnomah County, $9.5 million in both local and federal funding was used to install new pavement on the east and west ends of the bridge, as well as an ADA-compliant bus stop and improved bike lanes for better protection from motor vehicle traffic.

Crews also added raised yellow tiles on the bridge's westbound ramp to help better guide visually impaired pedestrians on the shared path so they don't run into traffic.

“After hearing feedback from the community, we took fast action to modify the configuration to match the feedback from the traveling public,” said project manager Matt Studer.

Studer added that crews often worked overnight to complete the improvements, as the bridge is a popular thoroughfare for cyclists, cars and pedestrians.

County officials say this work has "extended the lifespan" of the bridge deck on a crossing that’s now more than 100 years old.