Hood River Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Hood River Bridge is a truss bridge
with a vertical lift
that spans the Columbia River
between Hood River, Oregon
and White Salmon, Washington
.
The bridge is currently the second oldest road bridge across the Columbia between Washington and Oregon. It was built by the Oregon-Washington Bridge Company and opened on December 9, 1924. The original name was the Waucoma Interstate Bridge.
Construction of the Bonneville Dam
23 miles (37 km) downstream forced the bridge to be altered in 1938 to accommodate the resulting elevated river levels. On December 12, 1950 the Port of Hood River purchased the bridge from the Oregon-Washington Bridge Co. for $800,000.
The bridge is operated as a toll bridge
by the Port of Hood River. Currently the tolls are set to $0.75 per axle
for vehicles, and $0.50 for motorcycles. Bicycles and pedestrians are prohibited from crossing the bridge.
20 piers are used to support the total length of 4,418 ft (1347 m). When closed the vertical waterway clearance is 67 ft (20m). This increases to 148 ft (45 m) when the bridge is open, which typically happens once or twice a month. The horizontal waterway clearance of the lift span is 246 ft (75 m).
It is located at river mile
169, between Bridge of the Gods
at RM 148 and The Dalles Bridge
at RM 191.
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
with a vertical lift
Lift bridge
A vertical-lift bridge or lift bridge is a type of movable bridge in which a span rises vertically while remaining parallel with the deck....
that spans the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
between Hood River, Oregon
Hood River, Oregon
The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,831...
and White Salmon, Washington
White Salmon, Washington
White Salmon is a city in Klickitat County, Washington, United States. It is located in the Columbia River Gorge. The population was 2,193 at the 2000 census and increased 1.4% to 2,224 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.
The bridge is currently the second oldest road bridge across the Columbia between Washington and Oregon. It was built by the Oregon-Washington Bridge Company and opened on December 9, 1924. The original name was the Waucoma Interstate Bridge.
Construction of the Bonneville Dam
Bonneville Dam
Bonneville Lock and Dam consists of several run-of-the-river dam structures that together complete a span of the Columbia River between the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington at River Mile 146.1. The dam is located east of Portland, Oregon, in the Columbia River Gorge. The primary functions of...
23 miles (37 km) downstream forced the bridge to be altered in 1938 to accommodate the resulting elevated river levels. On December 12, 1950 the Port of Hood River purchased the bridge from the Oregon-Washington Bridge Co. for $800,000.
The bridge is operated as a toll bridge
Toll bridge
A toll bridge is a bridge over which traffic may pass upon payment of a toll, or fee.- History :The practice of collecting tolls on bridges probably harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large...
by the Port of Hood River. Currently the tolls are set to $0.75 per axle
Axle
An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to its surroundings, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle...
for vehicles, and $0.50 for motorcycles. Bicycles and pedestrians are prohibited from crossing the bridge.
20 piers are used to support the total length of 4,418 ft (1347 m). When closed the vertical waterway clearance is 67 ft (20m). This increases to 148 ft (45 m) when the bridge is open, which typically happens once or twice a month. The horizontal waterway clearance of the lift span is 246 ft (75 m).
It is located at river mile
River mile
In the United States, a River mile is a measure of distance in miles along a river from its mouth. River mile numbers begin at zero and increase further upstream. The corresponding metric unit using kilometers is the River kilometer...
169, between Bridge of the Gods
Bridge of the Gods (modern structure)
The Bridge of the Gods is a steel truss cantilever bridge that spans the Columbia River between Cascade Locks, Oregon and Washington state near North Bonneville. It is approximately 40 miles east of Portland, Oregon and 4 miles upriver from the Bonneville Dam...
at RM 148 and The Dalles Bridge
The Dalles Bridge
The Dalles Bridge is a steel cantilever truss bridge that spans the Columbia River between The Dalles, Oregon and Dallesport, Washington. It carries the traffic of U.S. Highway 197....
at RM 191.