The bridge is expected to be open to the public by late October or early November

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — TriMet is making headway on a brand new pedestrian and bike bridge near the MAX Orange Line in southeast Portland.

TriMet and the City of Portland are constructing a footbridge near the Orange Line’s Clinton Street and 12th Avenue MAX station, putting a pivotal tower in place on Monday morning. This important milestone comes before crews will set the main bridge span in place in February.

Map courtesy: TriMet

“At that point it will look like a bridge,” said Tyler Graf of TriMet. “But there is still additional work that still needs to take place.”

TriMet’s expected timeline is to have the bridge open to the public by the end of October or early November.

This overcrossing — now dubbed the Gideon Overcrossing — is being built after an original overcrossing in Southeast Portland’s Hosford-Abernathy neighborhood was eliminated due to the addition of the MAX Orange line tracks.

“It’s been a few years since the last span was out here over the railroad tracks,” said Graf. “We’re just glad to be restoring that connection for people out here.”

According to TriMet, the project is expected to cost approximately $10.5 million. The overcrossing is being constructed using remaining Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit Project funds.