New Sellwood Bridge concrete repairs needed Copyright by KOIN - All rights reserved Large chunks of concrete crumbling off the Sellwood Bridge have raised concerns about the integrity of the new structure. March 24, 2015 (KOIN 6 News) [ + - ] Video

Chris Woodard and KOIN 6 News Staff - PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN 6) --- Just months away from its scheduled grand opening, large chunks of concrete are crumbling off the new Sellwood Bridge.

County officials told KOIN 6 News it's just part of the process, and that missing chunks of concrete are common on bridges currently under construction. Still, the question remains: Is it a safe structure?

"It looks a little unsettling," passerby Jon Kirshbaum said. "But I guess I have faith in the system, the inspectors and engineers that presumably they'll get it right."

Mike Pullen with Multnomah County said people shouldn't judge the integrity of the new bridge so prematurely.

"I think most people would understand that the project is just being built and we're not completing it yet," Pullen said. "I'd say, judge the project when you come out there on opening day and how it performs over time."

Officials said the missing concrete is not an uncommon problem. When the tall forms are poured, sometimes the thick concrete doesn't settle completely.

"It has the same structure as it would have had if everything would have gone right the first time," Pullen said.

Work on patching up columns has already begun, and county officials said it won't affect the strength of the bridge once it's completed.

"If you do the right steps in the sequence, concrete adheres to old concrete very well," Pullen said.

These repairs are not expected to affect the cost or completion date of the project.