UMATILLA — After more than five years, the city of Umatilla has its new pedestrian bridge.

The city on Friday, March 29, announced the bridge arrived March 25.

Consecutive floods in 2019 and 2020 wiped out the former bridge. Replacing the bridge cost more than $6.6 million, according to the city, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency providing approximately $4.8 million. The city will cover approximately $1.1 million and will receive help through a Business Oregon Special Public Works grant of more than $700,000.

Bridge Brothers, of Pickens, South Carolina, made the bridge, and Legacy Contracting Inc., of Stayton, is handing the installation. A new water main and other utilities the floods also damaged will be hung from the bridge. Permits allow Legacy Contracting to begin working in the Umatilla River on May 6.

“Community members can expect to see a lot of activity during the spring and early-summer months at this site,” according to the city’s press release. “Although the bridge may look like it is installed and ready for use this summer, it will remain closed to the public until the grand reopening of the bridge before the end of the year.” This provides crews with the time to work within the permit parameters to install the utilities that are part of this project.

The Umatilla Pedestrian Bridge crosses the Umatilla River, linking the South Hill region to downtown Umatilla and is a key component of the town’s infrastructure.

“It plays a vital role in our recreational trail systems, connects residents to schools and businesses, and helps meet the city’s multimodal transportation initiatives,” according to the city.

“We are looking forward to completing this project and having a safe walking area for the public to access all parts of the city and to add to our recreational trails,” according to Scott Coleman, Umatilla Public Works director.

In addition, according to the city, the Pedestrian Bridge Project complements the Trail 2 Project, which is underway and is expected to be completed before the end of June. This trail is part of the city’s Master Trail Plan and is a critical component of Umatilla County’s River Trail Project. The $205,000 trail project is funded through a Recreation Trails Program grant, received in 2020, for $163,747 to construct a new segment of trail south of the Umatilla River. The trail will replace the existing trail with a route meeting federal accessibility laws while reducing erosion and providing other natural resource improvements. The project will install lighting along the path as well as benches.

The city will schedule a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the bridge toward the end of the year.

For more information about the Umatilla Pedestrian Bridge Project, the Trail 2 Project and other city projects, visit www.umatilla-city.org/city-projects.