I-5 and Highway 217 Reconstruction

Using an A+B contract, the Oregon Department of Transportation selected Kiewit Pacific Co., a subsidiary of Kiewit Corporation, to reconstruct the intersection of I-5 and Hwy. 217. This $38 million project relieved traffic congestion as exiting northbound I-5 traffic attempted to merge with the heavily traveled Hwy. 217, which provided the only freeway access into western Portland. The reconstruction work involved merging northbound I-5 with westbound Hwy. 217 via a fly-over ramp.

Project elements included construction of a two-lane, 1,500-ft.-long northbound fly-over ramp and a 250-ft.long, 15-ft.-wide pedestrian bridge, both spanning I-5. Also included were northbound I-5 auxiliary lanes leading to the fly-over bridge; a new, wider ramp from eastbound Hwy. 217 to southbound I-5; nine retaining walls; and two soundwalls.

A significant aspect of the reconstruction involved splitting Hwy. 217. This allowed the eastbound Hwy. 217 to southbound I-5 lanes to be realigned and relocated, while also providing the space required for the bridge footings, columns, and I-5 widening.

This project required more than 131,000 cu. yd. of excavation and nearly 100,000 tons of asphalt paving. On June 15, 2001, the northbound I-5 fly-over to westbound Hwy. 217 opened to traffic. Six days later, the project was declared substantially complete, 12% ahead of the project's aggressive 475-day schedule, and 54% earlier than the owner's 913-day maximum schedule.