Critics say the contractor revamping the Hawthorne Bridge is endangering workers and hurting the environment.
Regulators paint a different picture.
According to OSHA, exposure to lead is one of the most common overexposures in industry. The Hawthorne Bridge is covered with lead-based paint on the span and grating. The Hawthorne Bridge was built in 1910 and is the oldest vertical-lift span bridge operating in the United States. So far, the bridge rehabilitation is on schedule and within budget and should be completed in March 1999. Since June, Channel 2 news has twice documented sparks falling into the Willamette River.