Volume 71, Issue 1

October 3, 2022

Any long term Lake Oswego resident knows to rely on back roads and hidden bridges, when having to cross the lake. The bridge across North Shore Road has been a critical path for everyone living in or by Half Moon Bay. The bridge is critical, as crossing allows you to avoid going through crowded Downtown LO, dropping the commute time by up to 10 minutes. This means that many residents rely on it to get anywhere on time. 

Despite the bridge’s necessity, it has been closed off since 2021. Following an inspection in July, the city found movements and cracks in the wall. However, the construction has taken much longer than expected by LO residents and workers due to delays. The construction was temporarily halted after the discovery that they must remove water to finish repairs since the issues are deeper than expected. Therefore, the workers must wait until they can lower water levels to be safe enough. Although many residents are irritated by the bridge being closed, some appreciate it.

North Shore and Half Moon Bay is always full of people going on runs, walking their dogs or just enjoying a nice stroll. Despite the small roads and practically no sidewalks, that area of the lake is full of active people. Because of this, some people living around those areas appreciate the construction since it doesn’t allow drivers to cross, but does allow bikers and pedestrians. This leads to a decrease in traffic, as people now aren’t using the bridge to cut around the lake. However, this walking paradise for residents won’t last for long.

The bridge’s construction is scheduled to start in mid-October, during which all traffic will be cut off, including pedestrians. Along with this, it will also cut off boat access beneath the bridge, which is the only way to cross from the smaller part of the lake to the main lake on water. The construction is expected to be finished in February or March, as residents hope for no extra delays. Although the inconvenience of construction is annoying, most residents are excited for it to be over and to finally have a nice, safe, bridge for such a crucial part of Lake Oswego.