Ground Testing for New Bridge to Begin in February
This February, crews will begin drilling work to collect samples of soil and rock from the Oregon side of the Columbia River where the new Hood River-White Salmon Bridge will be built. This work is essential to understanding the geology of the land and for identifying any concerns with what’s underground before a bridge design is finalized. Current bridge designs have been developed to the needed planning level as required for the Environmental Impact Statement. The drilling results will also help inform the seismic needs for the new bridge.
To understand the ground conditions, geotech crews plan to drill from about 70 to 120 feet below the ground surface and will create core samples with two borings and two cone penetration tests (CPTs).
What to expect
Drilling work will take place during the daytime between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Work is scheduled to begin Monday, Feb. 6 and is anticipated to last through Friday, Feb. 10, 2023.
Drilling work requires large equipment and you may hear some noise during work hours; no nighttime work or noise is expected.
All drilling will occur at the Port of Hood River property for now. Future phases will explore ground conditions at other locations in both Oregon and Washington.
People with hardhats work with drilling equipment parked in the Port of Hood River parking lot.