Great news, construction of the new Lommen Bridge is complete with just a few minor items that the contractor is working on completing. Tillamook County Public Works in conjunction with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) contracted with Farline Bridge Inc. to construct the new bridge over the Nehalem River at milepost 11.6 on Miami-Foley Road. Tillamook County was successful in obtaining Federal Highway funds through ODOT in 2013 to replace the Lommen Bridge. The replacement of the Lommen Bridge was needed due to scour of the footings which had caused structural cracks at the bents. The old bridge was rated 4 out of a possible 100 in sufficiency rating, and was considered to be the most hazardous bridge in the state.
This new bridge is the biggest local agency (County or City) bridge constructed in Oregon. Federal Highways has paid almost 90% of this new bridge with a match by the County of 10%, the cost of the bridge is approximately $9.8Million. This new bridge has been designed with a base isolation system to prevent significant damage during the Cascadia earthquake.
Art work was installed on the bridge to represent the lifestyle and culture of the County and region. The artwork has some issues that will be resolved shortly. There is rust bleeding from the art work which should cease after a while.
The County appreciated the patience and understanding of the travelers during the construction of the bridge. Keeping travelers and the workers safe was a priority for Tillamook County