Neighbors fighting thick dust from Sellwood Bridge project
SELLWOOD, Ore. – Judy Jacks and her husband enjoy an orchestra seat to construction at their condo near the Sellwood Bridge.
“I know it needs to be done,” said Jacks. “I’m happy they’re doing it. I’m sorry I’m so inconvenienced.”
That inconvenience comes in the form of a thick layer of dust that constantly coats their condo.
Jacks says the never-ending dust means her cleaning work is also never-ending.
“I probably dusted once a week,” she said. “Now I could dust every day.”
Dirt even tarnishes the greenery that’s supposed to remind the retired couple why they moved to the pretty spot in the first place ten years ago.
"You have to understand you breathe this stuff all the time too," Jacks said.
Neighbors joined together pay for a cleaning service. They also want Multnomah County to pitch in, but they county has not responded. Calls to the county from KATU News on Friday and Saturday were not returned.
Engineers moved the Sellwood Bridge onto temporary supports last month. It will stay there while the new bridge is built. The project is scheduled to take another three years.
“What I want from this is a little respect once and a while,” said Jacks. “I want them to come out and clean this a little more often.”
Dust has 1 natural enemy- water. Â So get a hose and put a sprinkler on the roof. It might not get all of the dust, but I would bet a shiny new nickle it gets 95% or more.
Mac, we're ALL sorry. Â
"They also want Multnomah County to pitch in, but they county has not responded. Calls to the county from KATU News on Friday and Saturday were not returned."
Now really...you people expect Multnomah County to be responsible? Ha ha ha! They're home to the City that has $40 MILLION DOLLARS in outstanding parking fines and you expect them to DO SOMETHING?
How does one "fight thick dust"? Wouldn't flailing your arms and hands around create even more dust in the air? Perhaps thick dust needs to lose some weight to become thinner? LOL
@jpkObviously the County Commissioners can't see the problem from where they sit on their little thrones, so it isn't really a problem. Residents need to bag the dust and take it down to Multnomah County Headquarters at 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd and dump it in their foyer, elevators, lobby, etc., and maybe THEN the Commissioners will start to understand the problem.
Would you call that re-gifting or re-cycling? Either way, you would probably need a permit in Portland? LOL
I actually feel sorry for these folks. This is not just a little dust - it looks horrible. And it's not like living near the airport or a race track where you know what you are getting (or should know). This is a major, long term project, that is creating a huge issue - for 3 or more years! IMO, the contractors need to do what they can to keep their dust mess down to a minimum. Someone else mentioned keeping dust down with water, which makes sense. I despise whiners as much as the next guy, but this looks like more than a minor inconvenience.  I would be b(t^h#ng too.
@wondering It's not just an inconvenience.Â
Breathing too much dust over a prolonged period can kill you.
So that's what happened to all the buffalo herds? Too much dust and dirt wallowing?
Where I work, if we dust the neighbors we give them coupons for free car washes. City should do the same.
We've become a society of moaners and complainers.
How does this rate being a news story?
@Mipsfer  OK. Mipsfer has volunteered to take all of the dust because its obviously NOT a problem for him! Woohoo!
I always wondered why anyone would want to live in those condos by the Sellwood bridge.
You want dust? Wait'll Mt. St. Helens blows again. Then you'll have dust.
I want to submit a complaint about other people who complain about other people complaining.
Friend, I share in your hatred of dust!
Deal with it. You wanted the bloody bridge replaced, you got it, so pipe down.
@axpman Most people I know who live in Sellwood didn't want the replacement.  Sellwood was a lot nicer that week the bridge was closed and it wasn't full of people cutting through from Clackamas.
Come on folks, when one buys a Condo under a bridge one does not assume that they will tear the bridge down and inflict dust for 3 (or likely more) years.Â
 BTW? I never comment on mistakes regarding the *copy* posted, yet seriously? Neighbors joined together ?? [to] pay for a cleaning service. They also want Multnomah County to pitch in, but they(??) [their] county has not responded.
At one time there may have been some that laughed at asbestos dust too.
@OliverNicholas I still do.
@Ken Ling  That explains a lot, Ken.
Your last name used to be Lung, didn't it? :-P
Oh no dust...........
Dust happens.
Dusting vigil tonight east end of bridge. Bring candles and dust mops.
@doubtful BYOB?
@doubtful Don't forget the bunnies... :P
Dust.... That's a top story?? Dust? LOL
If dust is the worst thing to complain about then I'd say they're blessed!
I get it, it's annoying, I remember all the ash from St Helens when I was a kid but a top news story?Â
Killer Dust? Â Â **Major Eye Roll** Â In fact, I think my eyeballs went 360 degrees on this one.. I need help for my eyes now,, KATU I want you to "pitch in" for my eye doctor. :PÂ
Hey! I live in SE Portland and my house needs dusting! Do you think I could get in on this deal? Really? No wonder we have shows like Portlandia.
The dust might be mitigated by using "the wet method". Using a small spray of water to knock down the dust just like with asbestos.
someone walks by my house and puts untied dog poop bags in my green recycling bin! can you beleive it, i hope
between this and the dust story I can manage without therapy
how will the town move on with all this dust....just tragic news.....praying for a quick recovery...
just sweep it under the carpet with all the other unresolved issues in the city
"They also want Multnomah County to pitch in..."Â And how about Clackamas County? Shouldn't your neighbors to the south be compelled to breathe in some of that dust?
@HenryBowman And Clackamas county is stopping lightrail at the border
@Bert @HenryBowman I hope they do.  I don't need my transportation options socially engineered by the central gub'mint...
I'm a little disappointed in the quality of comments here. It's right for the contractors to try to make sure that they aren't spreading dust all over inhabited places. Especially in a long term project like this.
The couple in the article say that they understand the construction needs to be done and are happy for it. They just want a little consideration with regards to the dust being spread all over their house. They aren't even trying to STOP the dust. They're just wanting a little more consideration in the form of more frequent cleanups...and maybe if something could be done to keep the dust a little more under control.
I don't see that as whining at all.
@SaintVino Personally I find it interesting that no one has brought up the lead paint 'dust' question. If I had any young children in the home, I would be very concerned....I am sure the city and contractors have 'no comment' at the moment or years down the road...call Hazmat and see what they say. After all 'red lead' paint has been used on bridges everywhere for many decades. and perhaps the clean up by the contractors should be upgraded
It is nice that you have a couple of minutes to edit your comment, however a button to enter the comment would be nice.
Â@SaintVino I am pretty sure the 'dust' is sand fallout from sandblasting rusted/painted steel.
@yaquina @SaintVino "It is nice that you have a couple of minutes to edit your comment, however a button to enter the comment would be nice."
??? Â They do have a button to enter the comment..
Did you mean "preview" ? Because I would like/use one of those too.Â
@cwpholderr...Naw there was no enter/comment button when I wanted to edit and add a few words. The only way the revised comment could be entered was to copy the statement and reply to the comment again and then paste the revised comment.
@SaintVino Personally I find it interesting that no one has brought up the lead paint 'dust' question. If I had any young children in the home, I would be very concerned....I am sure the city and contractors have 'no comment' at the moment or years down the road...call Hazmat and see what they say. After all 'red lead' paint has been used on bridges everywhere for many decades.
@SaintVino "They aren't even trying to STOP the dust."
Too bad cause I would really like to see how they would attempt that.. Â
I'm sorry but dust happens.. It's like living in Oregon and complaining about the rain..
Who'll stop the rain....Â
Those that choose to live next to a bridge need to be a bit more thick-skinned. Did anyone force them to live there? No! For the same reason those that live next to a gravel pit or a public firearms range, or in the landing path of an airport have only themselves to blame. You don't like it, move! Just because you moved in without checking out what you might not like, is no reason to complain now!
Oh boo hoo hoo....give me a break. They're building a bridge that will prevent you from potentially dropping into the river...or would you rather have taken the risk?? This is the same kind of gripping you hear from people who insist on buying a home near the airport..."oh whaaa, my child can't sleep:"...."boo hoo, the jets make my dishes rattle"....what the heck do you expect? How about respecting their right to build something so you can see your tax dollars at work? How are they not respecting you because of dust? I certainly hope they don't get compensation for this...if that's the case...how about paying me for having my street out front ripped up and paved that took all summer? No sympathies from me. Deal with it.
I live under the interstate bridge and am not...i repeat, NOT looking forward to the CRC project.
@Ken Ling "I live under the interstate bridge..."
Always wondered what the Interstate Bridge Troll looked like...  ;-)
@Ken Ling You live under a bridge? How are you able to get on-line?
@Jstgttnbye HELLOOO?  WI-FI   !!!!!
@Ken Ling Just joking but your post sounded funny.