The Port of Hood River and its structural bridge engineer of record, HDR, have received the State Project of the Year award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Oregon (ACEC Oregon) for their emergency response to the June 27, 2024 Hood River Bridge incident.

The award recognizes the coordinated engineering, operational, and governance response following a collision in which a semi-truck carrying an excavator struck multiple overhead structural members on the 100-year-old Hood River–White Salmon Bridge. The impact forced the closure of the bridge, disrupting the only Columbia River crossing within a 45-mile stretch of the mid-Columbia.

Within hours of the incident, Port staff worked with HDR to assess damage and close the bridge based on engineering recommendations. HDR mobilized immediately to perform expedited structural analysis using historic bridge plans, recent load ratings, and field inspections. Independent peer review and constructability analysis were also provided to validate findings and accelerate repair planning.

The Port Commission convened a publicly noticed emergency meeting on Sunday morning, June 30, 2024, to receive engineering recommendations and authorize emergency actions. During the repair period, the Port implemented continuous, 24/7 manned traffic control to prevent over-height vehicles from accessing the bridge—an operational first for the facility.

The Port later documented the incident and response in a formal After Action Report identifying lessons learned and opportunities to strengthen future preparedness.

The award was presented on Jan. 29, 2026, at the ACEC Oregon Engineering Excellence Awards Banquet in Tigard, Oregon. As Oregon’s State Project of the Year, the project now advances for consideration in the national ACEC Engineering Excellence Awards.