Sauvie Island Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Sauvie Island Bridge crosses the Multnomah Channel
of the Willamette River
near Portland, Oregon
, United States
. The original Parker truss bridge, built in 1950 with a 200 feet (61 m) main span, was replaced with a tied arch bridge
with a 360 feet (109.7 m) span in 2008 due to cracks discovered in 2001.
replaced the Sauvie Island Ferry. The $900,000 bridge was designed by the Oregon Department of Transportation
and built by Gilpin Construction. Oregon transferred ownership to Multnomah County
in 1951. Composed of three steel truss spans, it was a total of 1198 feet (365.2 m) long, with the main span measuring 200 feet (61 m) in length. The approach spans were built of reinforced concrete girders. Green in color, the bridge was 41 feet (12.5 m) wide and carried two lanes of traffic and had sidewalks on both sides. The main span, a Parker truss, sat 80 feet (24.4 m) above the water line and handled an average of 3,800 vehicles per day.
After cracks were found in the 1950 span in 2001, Multnomah County
restricted weight and speed on the bridge. Early designs for a new bridge were submitted in July 2004, and groundbreaking was held on January 4, 2006. The new $38 million span was designed by H2L2 Architecture with David Evans & Associates as the design engineers, and built by Max J. Kuney Company. Located at river mile three, the main span is 360 feet (109.7 m) long and rests 80 feet (24.4 m) above the water. The main span is of a tied arch
design constructed of steel, while the approach spans are a box-girder style using pre-stressed concrete. The bridge has two lanes of traffic with shoulders and sidewalks on both sides for a total width of 66 feet. The bridge was floated into place after it was constructed.
In March 2006, then-city commissioner
Sam Adams proposed reusing the Sauvie Island bridge span as a bicycle/pedestrian bridge over Interstate 405
in downtown Portland
, as part of the Burnside/Couch Transportation and Urban Design Plan. A coalition of Portland community groups including the Pearl District Neighborhood Association and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance
supported the idea. Adams ultimately retracted the proposal, realizing the cost would likely be more than the $5.5 million he had originally stated.
The $43 million new bridge opened June 23, 2008. The old bridge was removed in August 2008 and was scrapped at Schnitzer Steel Industries
.
Multnomah Channel
Multnomah Channel is a distributary of the Willamette River that splits from the main stem a few miles upstream of the Willamette's convergence with the Columbia River in Multnomah County in the U.S. state of Oregon. The channel flows northwest then north around Sauvie Island for about to meet the...
of the Willamette River
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...
near Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The original Parker truss bridge, built in 1950 with a 200 feet (61 m) main span, was replaced with a tied arch bridge
Tied arch bridge
A tied-arch bridge is an arch bridge in which the outward-directed horizontal forces of the arch, or top chord, are borne as tension by the bottom chord , rather than by the ground or the bridge foundations...
with a 360 feet (109.7 m) span in 2008 due to cracks discovered in 2001.
Old bridge
Opened on December 30, 1950, the first bridge to Sauvie IslandSauvie Island
Sauvie Island, in the U.S. state of Oregon, originally Wapato Island or Wappatoo Island, is the largest island along the Columbia River, at 26,000 acres , and the largest river island in the United States...
replaced the Sauvie Island Ferry. The $900,000 bridge was designed 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...
and built by Gilpin Construction. Oregon transferred ownership to Multnomah County
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
in 1951. Composed of three steel truss spans, it was a total of 1198 feet (365.2 m) long, with the main span measuring 200 feet (61 m) in length. The approach spans were built of reinforced concrete girders. Green in color, the bridge was 41 feet (12.5 m) wide and carried two lanes of traffic and had sidewalks on both sides. The main span, a Parker truss, sat 80 feet (24.4 m) above the water line and handled an average of 3,800 vehicles per day.
New bridge
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
restricted weight and speed on the bridge. Early designs for a new bridge were submitted in July 2004, and groundbreaking was held on January 4, 2006. The new $38 million span was designed by H2L2 Architecture with David Evans & Associates as the design engineers, and built by Max J. Kuney Company. Located at river mile three, the main span is 360 feet (109.7 m) long and rests 80 feet (24.4 m) above the water. The main span is of a tied arch
Tied arch bridge
A tied-arch bridge is an arch bridge in which the outward-directed horizontal forces of the arch, or top chord, are borne as tension by the bottom chord , rather than by the ground or the bridge foundations...
design constructed of steel, while the approach spans are a box-girder style using pre-stressed concrete. The bridge has two lanes of traffic with shoulders and sidewalks on both sides for a total width of 66 feet. The bridge was floated into place after it was constructed.
In March 2006, then-city commissioner
Government of Portland, Oregon
The Government of Portland, Oregon, a city in the U.S. state of Oregon, is based on a city commission government system. Elected officials include a Mayor, a City Council, and a City Auditor. The mayor and commissioners are responsible legislative policy and oversee the various bureaus that...
Sam Adams proposed reusing the Sauvie Island bridge span as a bicycle/pedestrian bridge over Interstate 405
Interstate 405 (Oregon)
Interstate 405 is a short Interstate Highway in Portland, Oregon. It forms a loop from Interstate 5 that travels through downtown Portland west of the Willamette River.-Route description:...
in downtown Portland
Downtown Portland
Downtown Portland, the city center of Portland, Oregon, United States, is located on the west bank of the Willamette River. It is in the northeastern corner of the southwest section of the city and is where most of the city's high-rise buildings are found....
, as part of the Burnside/Couch Transportation and Urban Design Plan. A coalition of Portland community groups including the Pearl District Neighborhood Association and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance
Bicycle Transportation Alliance
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance is a 501 non-profit bicycle advocacy organization based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The BTA promotes bicycling and the improvement of bicycling conditions in Oregon and southwest Washington through advocacy, programs and events. The BTA has a membership...
supported the idea. Adams ultimately retracted the proposal, realizing the cost would likely be more than the $5.5 million he had originally stated.
The $43 million new bridge opened June 23, 2008. The old bridge was removed in August 2008 and was scrapped at Schnitzer Steel Industries
Schnitzer Steel Industries
Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. is an American steel manufacturing company headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1906, the company deals mainly in recycled steel. In 2004, the company was ranked fourth in The Seattle Times Northwest 100 list of public companies. As of 2006, it was the...
.
External links
- Special Coverage of the Flanders Street Bridge Project - BikePortland.org