Oregon City Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Oregon City Bridge is a steel through arch bridge spanning the Willamette River
between Oregon City
and West Linn, Oregon
, United States
. It was built and is owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation
as part of Oregon Route 43 and is the third southernmost Willamette bridge in the Portland metropolitan area
, after the Boone Bridge in Wilsonville and the Oregon 219 bridge near Newberg.
The bridge is 745 ft (227 m) in length and 28 ft (8½ m) wide with a 360 ft (110 m) long main span that provides 49 ft (15 m) of vertical clearance at low river levels. The narrow width causes problems for the two bus lines and other large vehicles that cross it, often requiring traffic going in the other direction to stop. This bridge is the only Oregon bridge to be encased in gunite
, which protects it from corrosive sulfur dioxide
emissions from paper mill
s south of the bridge. The concrete look was favored by bridge designer Conde McCullough
, designer of 500 Oregon bridges. His signature detailing is evident in the obelisk pylons with sconced light fixtures, ornate railings, and Art Deco
piers.
The Oregon City Bridge is just downstream from the 40 ft (12.2 m) tall Willamette Falls
and the Willamette Falls Locks
, the oldest navigational locks in the United States. Downstream from this bridge is the Abernethy Bridge
, which carries Interstate 205
.
The bridge was built to replace an 1888 pedestrian suspension bridge; workers used the old bridge to begin construction of the present bridge's box steel ribs. Construction was made difficult by the great depth of the river at the bridge site and by the water traffic during construction. Construction workers used the cables of the old bridge to support the arch prior to completion by running cables from the arch, over the cables to an anchor on the far side. Once the new arch was completed, the old suspension bridge was dismantled. The present bridge was opened for public use on 28 December 1922; the cost of construction was published as $300,000.
The piers were designed to accommodate public restrooms: decks widen at the piers to provide room for the stairways that descend to the restrooms. Repeated vandalism led to the closure of the restrooms in 1937.
The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places
(as the Willamette River (Oregon City) Bridge (No. 357)) on 1 July 2005.
opened in 1970 and has since become the major route through the area.
In January 2010 the ODOT took the Oregon City Bridge out of service for a two-year rehabilitation process. Cross-river traffic has been detoured to the Abernathy Bridge; foot traffic can use the ODOT shuttle service.
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
between Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
and West Linn, Oregon
West Linn, Oregon
West Linn is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. Now a prosperous southern suburb of Portland, West Linn has a history of early development, prompted by the opportunity to harvest energy from nearby Willamette Falls. It was named after Senator Dr. Lewis Fields Linn of Ste...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was built and is owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation
Oregon Department of Transportation
The Oregon Department of Transportation is a department of the state government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for systems of transportation. It was first established in 1969. It had been preceded by the Oregon State Highway Department which, along with the Oregon State Highway...
as part of Oregon Route 43 and is the third southernmost Willamette bridge in the Portland metropolitan area
Portland metropolitan area
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area , also known as the Portland metropolitan area or Greater Portland, is an urban area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered around the city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S...
, after the Boone Bridge in Wilsonville and the Oregon 219 bridge near Newberg.
The bridge is 745 ft (227 m) in length and 28 ft (8½ m) wide with a 360 ft (110 m) long main span that provides 49 ft (15 m) of vertical clearance at low river levels. The narrow width causes problems for the two bus lines and other large vehicles that cross it, often requiring traffic going in the other direction to stop. This bridge is the only Oregon bridge to be encased in gunite
Shotcrete
Shotcrete is concrete conveyed through a hose and pneumatically projected at high velocity onto a surface, as a construction technique....
, which protects it from corrosive sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is released by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Since coal and petroleum often contain sulfur compounds, their combustion generates sulfur dioxide unless the sulfur compounds are removed before burning the fuel...
emissions from paper mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
s south of the bridge. The concrete look was favored by bridge designer Conde McCullough
Conde McCullough
Conde Balcom McCullough was a U.S. bridge engineer who is primarily known for designing many of Oregon's coastal bridges on U.S. Route 101. The native of South Dakota worked for the Oregon Department of Transportation from 1919 to 1935 and 1937 until 1946...
, designer of 500 Oregon bridges. His signature detailing is evident in the obelisk pylons with sconced light fixtures, ornate railings, and Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
piers.
The Oregon City Bridge is just downstream from the 40 ft (12.2 m) tall Willamette Falls
Willamette Falls
The Willamette Falls is a natural waterfall on the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, in the United States. It is the largest waterfall in the Pacific Northwest and the eighteenth largest in the world by water volume. Horseshoe in shape, it is wide and high with a flow...
and the Willamette Falls Locks
Willamette Falls Locks
The Willamette Falls Locks are a lock system on the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1873 and currently closed, they allow boat traffic on the Willamette to navigate beyond Willamette Falls...
, the oldest navigational locks in the United States. Downstream from this bridge is the Abernethy Bridge
Abernethy Bridge
The Abernethy Bridge is a steel plate and box girder bridge that spans the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, USA. It is also known as the Oregon City Freeway Bridge and the I-205 Bridge as it carries Interstate 205....
, which carries Interstate 205
Interstate 205 (Oregon-Washington)
Interstate 205 is a loop route that serves the Portland—Vancouver metropolitan area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. I-205 is officially named the War Veterans Memorial Freeway, and is also known as the East Portland Freeway...
.
History
The piers were designed to accommodate public restrooms: decks widen at the piers to provide room for the stairways that descend to the restrooms. Repeated vandalism led to the closure of the restrooms in 1937.
The bridge was added 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...
(as the Willamette River (Oregon City) Bridge (No. 357)) on 1 July 2005.
Current use
As of 2000 the bridge carried 12,800 vehicles per day, which represents only a 40% growth in traffic since 1953, when a public debate was held about building a parallel bridge next to the existing bridge. While the Oregon City Bridge did not get twinned, the Abernethy BridgeAbernethy Bridge
The Abernethy Bridge is a steel plate and box girder bridge that spans the Willamette River between Oregon City and West Linn, Oregon, USA. It is also known as the Oregon City Freeway Bridge and the I-205 Bridge as it carries Interstate 205....
opened in 1970 and has since become the major route through the area.
In January 2010 the ODOT took the Oregon City Bridge out of service for a two-year rehabilitation process. Cross-river traffic has been detoured to the Abernathy Bridge; foot traffic can use the ODOT shuttle service.
External links
- Oregon City Bridge (with a link to an Microsoft Word document about the bridge), from the website of the state of Oregon
- Built in America list with link to bridge information, from the Library of CongressLibrary of CongressThe Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
website - Photo of 1888 suspension bridge, from a bridge fan's website