Two tales of bridges

 

In Sunday's New York Times Magazine, Duke University civil engineering professor (and author of popular books like Remaking the World and The Evolution of Useful Things) Henry Petroski has an article called "Bridging the Gap." The article cites a series of bridges along the Oregon Coast as an example for the nation:

"Our roads and bridges are crumbling, yes, but most are also mediocre, reflecting neither engineering sense nor architectural sensibility."

"It need not be this way. In the midst of the Great Depression, Conde McCullough, the state bridge engineer in Oregon, oversaw the design and construction of a series of graceful concrete and steel bridges along the state's Pacific Coast Highway. They stand today as delights to see and use, and they demonstrate that essential structures need not be inferior."

I was actually staying on the Oregon Coast as I read the article, and the bridges Petroski writes of came viscerally to mind (such as Newport's wonderful Yaquina Bay Bridge pictured at the top of this post). Oregon has a wonderful coastal bridge legacy that extends from Astoria (pictured below) to Brookings.

Striking nearly the exact opposite tone, however, Dylan Rivera's article on the front page of The Oregonian today is called "THE PRICE OF ORIGINALITY". (Their all-caps font, not mine.) The article also recalls a previous Rivera story about the Columbia crossing that asked, "Can we afford pretty?" Notice in both stories, even the headlines themselves seem to characterize first-rate design as something indulgent. I wonder why that didn't seem so to Oregon's leaders during the Great Depression.

Looking at the Willamette bridge design and construction process being overseen by TriMet, Rivera frames the discussion in this manner:

"It comes down to this: Is it enough for the bridge to offer a design that's new to the Portland area and comes in on budget - but isn't unique, with similar structures in Eugene and Kennewick, Washington? Or should the region aspire to a design that would put something original on the city's skyline, even if it could cost significantly more than the $134.6 million budget?"

But I'm not sure it "comes down to this," as Rivera writes. The unequivocal higher cost for the hybrid bridge being proposed is based on highly debatable numbers, as I wrote about in a previous post following TriMet's Willamette River Bridge Advisory Committee meeting on May 28.

Many of the extra costs piled onto the hybrid in estimates are called things like "requirements risk" and "design development risk". The construction costs for the hybrid were also listed at $75 million compared to about $62 million for the cable-stay, even though the materials would be about the same. Hybrid designer Miguel Rosales and Stuttgart, Germany-based Schlaich Bergermann und Partner believe the books were more or less cooked to make their design seem more expensive and risky.

Even so, the Willamette River bridge debate is all but over. TriMet's WRBAC committee, made up of a couple people from the design committee and lots of other stakeholders from the Portland area, recommended the off-the-shelf cable stay design option, and there seems almost no chance at all the steering committee will go against that. If the cable stay gets built, it won't be a bad bridge. Just not something to be really proud of.

Oregonian columnist Barry Johnson also had this to say in a piece called "Godzilla on the Willamette":

"A cable-stayed bridge is absolutely wrong for the relatively narrow space between the Ross Island Bridge and the Marquam Bridge, I would argue. Its towers will rise above the Marquam, and its bristling rows of cables will thumb their collective noses at the far gentler Ross Island Bridge. Worse, the bridge is inappropriate to its use -- as a light-rail, bus, pedestrian bridge. 

If ever you wanted a low-impact bridge that says we know how to live in a "light" way, this is it. Light rail is an ongoing piece of our somewhat humble efforts to develop sustainably, which is a buzz word that simply means we understand that we live in a time when resources are getting scarcer and dearer."

 

The hybrid issue did indeed seem to push TriMet to at least build a more refined cable-stay bridge than might have otherwise happened. But if you love the best bridges in Portland, such as the graceful St. John's bridge (pictured above), don't expect our generation to rise to that level of grace and beauty.

Luckily, when we drive to the Oregon Coast, or over spans here like the St. Johns, we can at least take pride in the efforts of Portlanders past.

Comments

[Bob R.]

It should be noted that when a new bridge was built in Waldport (about 18 years ago), the new design echoed the forms of the beloved, prior bridge, rather than adhering to purely cost-driven utilitarian approach.

http://www.pixelmap.com/sl_bridge_coast.html#alsea

[Bob R.]

A sketch of the original 1936 Alsea Bay bridge:
http://bluebook.state.or.us/facts/scenic/dep/dep41.htm

[van]

I'm curious as to why there hasn't been the same amount of attention paid to the columbia river crossing? Everyone seems to be ignoring that one. Will it become a lost opportunity?

[Double J]

Nice work Brian, great points...

Can Portland really afford to demonize design when design is one of our major industries?

The characterization of Rosales designs as Seattle-esque is hilarious... it's not like he's Zaha Hadid. Because they dont have a proper architecture critic the O is both hurting itself and Oregon. I am happy they are at least attempting to push for better civic planning (aka design) from trimet.

I've got a new wrinkle on the supposedly refined cable stay design for tomorrow on PORT. It is another issue with the "V" design.

I'm glad Portland finally has a lot of voices from a lot of different sources making a ruckus about this. That's a huge development.

Still, I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with cable stays... only insensitively designed ones.

[Bridget]

The cable-stayed design is beautiful and functional on what will be a one-of-kind bridge. Portland will revered because this will be a gorgeous transit/ped/bike bridge. How many of these exist in the world? Let's not loose sight of the bigger picture here!

[Brian Libby]

Bridget,

Your enthusiasm and contribution to the conversation is much appreciated. However, I at least think the big picture itself is precisely what we're talking about. Portland has an oppportunity to design something beautiful and unique, the Rosales hybrid, or to do a refined version of something too big, cumbersome and ubiquitous to work here. Oregon columnist Barry Johnson calls the cable-stay design from TriMet and Donald MacDonald "Godzilla on the Willamette", and I heartily recommend reading his column/blog post about the topic on his Portland Arts Watch blog via OregonLive.com.

[truth]

Brian, you seem to argue that it must be unique...Does it have to be unique to be beautiful?
What does unique as an adjective get us, or guarantee the city? Perhaps marketing appeal, but I don't think that is the point. Perhaps the fight should be to get a beautiful and lasting design, no matter it's uniqueness. So to trimet I would say, pick whichever system you think will cost less, but you better make the damn thing beautiful.

I question the continued commentary on the possibility that trimet has been "cooking the books". Trimet may very well be cautious regarding an unknown quantity...but that is to be expected, as it is just that, an unknown quantity. And Rosales may be bitter that he didn't get a project he was expecting to get...

For me, great design is a must, and should be a given...but originality and uniqueness are not.

[Scott]

Agreed...uniqueness is not synonymous with beauty...I'd prefer a striking design rather than something unique for uniqueness' sake. A cable-stay bridge would be a great contrast to the other bridges in the city, and if done well, could be lovely.

Honestly, the one-of-a-kind "wave" bridge was the least inspiring of all the options I've seen (IMHO). I liked the hybrid, while hoping at one point they would dress it up a bit (the dual-toothpick towers were a bit dull), but have always thought that the cable-stay could be a very striking addition to the area, if done well. I'd rather stay away from the "V" frame...it seems a bit...off to me.

[Andrew]

I am no particular fan of cable-stayed bridges, however they are more efficient than suspension bridges, and as such are cheaper (and one could say more sustainable?).

Regarding the Hybrid or Wave, Unique Design = Risk Money. The only thing debatable about that is the amount to add to the cost plan. At this early stage in the process we could expect the number to be quite high with the expectation/hope to design out the risk over the course of design development.

The continuing comments of 'cooking the books' attributed to the Rosales / Schlaich Bergermann team just sound of sour grapes. Has there been any independent, professional cost advice to support this?

It was touched on by Van above, but I am left with the feeling that the CRC will be far worse that the most unrefined, off the shelf cable-stayed bridge we might get on the Willamette.

[Nick]

"Crowds stand around all day long and criticize that bridge, and find fault with it, and tell with unlimited frankness how it ought to have been planned, and how they would have built it had the city granted them the $14,000 it cost. It is really refreshing to hang around these and listen to them. A foreigner would come to the conclusion that all America was composed of inspired professional bridge builders."
- Mark Twain, "The Broadway Bridge," Alta California, June 23, 1867

[ws]

It was helpful to be able to see in the Oregonian Dylan Rivera story today, bigger pictures of the cable stay-V tower bridge and the smaller suspension bridge, than we've been able to see on this blog. I've never been keen on the cable stay-V tower bridge. After seeing the pics in the O today, I'm certain I don't like it.

Those severe angles in its tower and cables are just awful. I can't tell for sure in the pics...does the smaller suspension bridge also use those sever angles with its cables? Maybe it's just old fashioned to say so, but the arc of the supporting cable in the St John's Bridge Tribute design is the kind of beauty that Portland needs in its new bridge.

[Brian Libby]

Truth, Andrew, etc,

I don't mean to say TriMet has cooked the books or has done anything intentionally duplicitous. These are decent people trying to do the right thing. However, I think their conservative tendencies, while perhaps admirably responsible in a fiscal sense, are also contributing to more of a bridge by rote than I'd like to see.

[keith.d]

One of the worst parts of the 'Soaring or Boring' stories was the poll, which forced a choice between:

"A) This city deserves something unique, so design something beautiful and truly original and figure out how to pay for it later.
B) We need to build the nicest bridge we can afford, but no more. So stay under budget."

It's a nonsensical poll that makes it seem irrational to desire a 'beautiful & truly original' design.

[billb]

great discussion all ! , I am cool with the splayed V , it is a clear powerful expression of its design function. As I have said before though , Does it have to be white?
I would love to see a series of
renderings showing it red , blue,
St Johns Green ....

[Allan]

hey all... do you know the answer to this:

it sounds like portland's chipping in 30mil, the feds 80mil, and trimet the rest. if the bridge costs 120mil or 150mil would trimet be on the hook for the 30mil difference? if so, they're really feeling 4x the cost for the design versus the true 20% increase in cost? if so i can see why they want a cheap bridge.

ps. i for 1 like the V