Phase I of the East Bank Esplanade
Project Details
Owner: City of Portland
Location: Portland, OR | 2000
Advanced American Diving Service (AADS) earned a prestigious AGC Build America Award for its work on Phase I of the East Bank Esplanade project for the City of Portland, the company’s first time entering the competition. This high-profile project involved the construction of the longest floating walkway in the United States at it’s time and was part of a broader initiative to connect Portland’s east and west waterfronts.
The project required design and construction of 1,000 feet of floating walkway on the Willamette River, supported by four 60×40 foot float pods, six 60×12 foot aluminum gangways, and 102 pilings driven into the riverbed. AADS was tasked with building the structure to accommodate a 23 foot river level fluctuation while ensuring compliance with new environmental regulations protecting endangered salmon and steelhead trout.
Environmental sensitivity, complex engineering, and a condensed seven month timeline added layers of challenge. The walkway needed to curve along the riverbank and under the freeway system, demanding intricate, real-time adjustments and close collaboration with the landscape architects, engineers, and public agencies.
Project Highlights
- 1,000 feet of floating walkway
- Four, 60×40 ft float pods
- Six, 60×12 ft aluminum gangways
- 102 pilings driven into the river bottom
- Accommodated 23-foot water level fluctuation
- On-the-fly design changes required flexible, collaborative project delivery
- Enhanced Portland’s public riverfront access and recreation
Project Awards
Award: 2000 AGC/AON Build America Award – Municipal Utilities
