A $1 million Transportation Enhancement Grant from the Oregon Transportation Commission in February and a revised city budget have met the difference in acquiring the needed funds.

"I was worried when budget funding went down," Project Coordinator for the City of Salem's Urban Development Department David Skilton said. "But the budget was refined and that made the difference."

Total funding needed for the project is just over $2.5 million and now that the City has the necessary funds, they will begin accepting bids from contractors in late October or early November.

"We should be able to start work on the bridge in March 2008," Skilton said. "It should take about five to eight months but that will depend on what is needed to complete the conversion."

Hazel Patton, a volunteer with the group, Friends of Two Bridges, formed to support the project said that the Railroad Bridge "was rarin' to go," but she is disappointed that funding for the other proposed Minto-Brown footbridge project is still needed.

"We had hoped the bridges would open in tandem but it doesn't look like that's going to happen."

Patton also said there will be some kind of celebration planned for the completion of the Railroad Bridge conversion next year.
For more information on Friends of Two Bridges and the Minto-Brown footbridge project, contact (503) 581-4939.