Galveston Bridge to close as gas project resumes

Cascade Natural Gas Company is starting work on Phase III of the Bend Westside Replacement Project, and that will impact traffic on Bend’s Westside early Thursday, including two short-term closures of the Galveston Avenue Bridge.

Thursday morning, starting at 5:30 a.m.,traffic will be shut down for approximately one hour to allow contractor crews to set up equipment and personnel.

Traffic will then be reduced to one lane from then until about noon to perform the work. At that point, the Galveston Bridge will be closed again to all traffic for about 20 minutes to remove the equipment and personnel.

People who normally use the Galveston Bridge are advised to look for alternate routes on Thursday to avoid delays in getting to their destinations.

Officials said the one day of work is in preparation for Phase III, the third year of a multi-year project to replace aging gas lines on the city’s Westside. Steel gas lines installed in the 1930s are being replaced with new polyethylene pipe.

While there will be some new services going in, it’s primarily replacing and upgrading old service. The ongoing, daily work will start up in late June or early July, officials said.

Residents seeking more information as to when pipeline crews will be working on their street are urged to visit Cascade Natural Gas on the Web at cngc.com, or call 888-522-1130.