ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) — Oregon state officials have announced a $50 million project to repaint and put new rivets in the Astoria-Megler bridge near the mouth of the Columbia River.
The project is set to begin next year and last until 2016. It’s widely acknowledged as necessary work for an important link between Oregon and Washington state. But the sandblasting and re-riveting is going to be noisy work, too.
Managers of the hotels under the span on the Oregon side worry that to avoid traffic problems, the work will go on through the night, keeping guests awake.
And the bridge ends at a populated Astoria hillside where the sounds could reverberate.
State planners tell the Daily Astorian (http://bit.ly/rFHZiB ) they’re working on ways to muffle the sound and minimize the impact of the project.
