Work crews will begin hoisting 82-ton beams into place tonight along Interstate 5 in the Iowa Street Viaduct Replacement project between downtown Portland and the Terwilliger curves.
Installation of the 165-foot beams marks a new step in construction of the temporary detour bridge, a milestone in the project. The temporary bridge ultimately will be removed upon completion of the project, expected in 2013.
Tonight, work crews will lift six beams into place as part of the replacement bridge that will carry three I-5 southbound lanes during construction of the permanent structure.
At 7:30 p.m., the right southbound lane will close next to the project. At 10 p.m., the southbound center lane will close, and the first beam is expected to be lifted into place between 11:30 p.m. and midnight. Five more beams will be placed at a rate of about one every half-hour.
