Benton City – Kiona Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Benton City – Kiona Bridge is a 121.9 metres (399.9 ft) long by 7.8 metres (25.6 ft) wide steel box girder bridge
carrying two lanes of Washington State Route 225
over the Yakima River
in Kiona
, Benton County
, Washington. The bridge was completed in 1957, replacing a bridge that was located 600 feet (182.9 m) downstream. The bridge is owned and maintained by the Washington State Department of Transportation
, and was added to the Washington Heritage Register on January 25, 2002, and to the National Register of Historic Places
during the same year. The span was considered significant between 1950 and 1972.
(SR 225) in Kiona, Washington
, just south of Benton City
. SR 225 serves as an access road to Interstate 82
/ U.S. Route 12
for residents in Benton City. The bridge, and the remainder of SR 225 are considered a major collector road by the Washington State Department of Transportation
.
of 1,700 cars-per-day over the bridge. By comparison in 2009, 7,600 cars-per-day travel over the new bridge. Everett McKellar won the contract to build the bridge in September 1956 for $196,159 (equivalent to $ in ). The bridge was considered significant when it was built as it is believed to be the first steel box girder
bridge built in the United States, and the NRHP considered it significant between 1950 and 1972.
Box girder bridge
A box girder bridge is a bridge in which the main beams comprise girders in the shape of a hollow box. The box girder normally comprises either prestressed concrete, structural steel, or a composite of steel and reinforced concrete. The box is typically rectangular or trapezoidal in cross-section...
carrying two lanes of Washington State Route 225
Washington State Route 225
State Route 225 is an long two-lane state highway located entirely in Benton County, Washington, United States. The highway travels over the Benton City – Kiona Bridge, which is listed on the Washington Heritage Register and National Register of Historic Places, over the Yakima River...
over the Yakima River
Yakima River
The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington State, named for the indigenous Yakama people. The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is , with an average drop of .-Course:...
in Kiona
Kiona, Washington
Kiona is an unincorporated community in Benton County, Washington, United States. Kiona is an Indian term meaning "brown hills." Kiona and Benton City share a school district .-History:...
, Benton County
Benton County, Washington
Benton County is a county located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. The Columbia River makes up the north, south, and east boundaries of the county. In 2010, its population was 175,177. The county seat is Prosser, and its largest city is Kennewick...
, Washington. The bridge was completed in 1957, replacing a bridge that was located 600 feet (182.9 m) downstream. The bridge is owned and maintained by the Washington State Department of Transportation
Washington State Department of Transportation
The Washington State Department of Transportation , was established in 1905. The agency, led by a Secretary and overseen by the Governor, is a Washington governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of the state's transportation infrastructure...
, and was added to the Washington Heritage Register on January 25, 2002, and to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
during the same year. The span was considered significant between 1950 and 1972.
Location
The Benton City – Kiona Bridge is located 0.03 miles (48.3 m) from the western terminus of Washington State Route 225Washington State Route 225
State Route 225 is an long two-lane state highway located entirely in Benton County, Washington, United States. The highway travels over the Benton City – Kiona Bridge, which is listed on the Washington Heritage Register and National Register of Historic Places, over the Yakima River...
(SR 225) in Kiona, Washington
Kiona, Washington
Kiona is an unincorporated community in Benton County, Washington, United States. Kiona is an Indian term meaning "brown hills." Kiona and Benton City share a school district .-History:...
, just south of Benton City
Benton City, Washington
Benton City is a city in Benton County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,038 at the 2010 census. The city is strongly associated with nearby Kiona, with which it shares a school district.-History:...
. SR 225 serves as an access road to Interstate 82
Interstate 82
Interstate 82 is a Interstate Highway that extends from I-90 in Ellensburg, Washington to I-84 near Umatilla, Oregon in the United States. In the state of Washington, it serves the cities of Ellensburg, Yakima, and the Tri Cities , and in Oregon, it serves Umatilla and Hermiston...
/ U.S. Route 12
U.S. Route 12 in Washington
U.S. Route 12 is a major east-west U.S. Highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan. It spans across the state of Washington, and is the only numbered highway to span the entire state from west to east, starting near the Pacific Ocean, and crossing the Idaho state line near...
for residents in Benton City. The bridge, and the remainder of SR 225 are considered a major collector road by the Washington State Department of Transportation
Washington State Department of Transportation
The Washington State Department of Transportation , was established in 1905. The agency, led by a Secretary and overseen by the Governor, is a Washington governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of the state's transportation infrastructure...
.
History
The first proposals for the bridge were submitted in November 1955, with a cost estimate of $140 thousand (equivalent to $ in ). The bridge was designed to have a height higher than the 1933 Yakima River flood level. The new bridge was built 600 feet (182.9 m) upstream from the previous bridge, which had been in place for 40 years and was seeing an averageAnnual average daily traffic
Average Annual daily traffic, abbreviated AADT, is a measure used primarily in transportation planning and transportation engineering. It is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a useful and simple measurement of how busy the road is...
of 1,700 cars-per-day over the bridge. By comparison in 2009, 7,600 cars-per-day travel over the new bridge. Everett McKellar won the contract to build the bridge in September 1956 for $196,159 (equivalent to $ in ). The bridge was considered significant when it was built as it is believed to be the first steel box girder
Box girder
A box or tubular girder is a girder that forms an enclosed tube with multiple walls, rather than an or H-beam. Originally constructed of riveted wrought iron, they are now found in rolled or welded steel, aluminium extrusions or pre-stressed concrete....
bridge built in the United States, and the NRHP considered it significant between 1950 and 1972.