Astoria–Megler Bridge
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| Astoria-Megler Bridge | |
|---|---|
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| Carries | 2 lanes of US 101 |
| Crosses | Columbia River |
| Locale | Astoria, Oregon |
| Maintained by | Oregon DOT |
| Design | cantilever through-truss |
| Total length | 21,474 ft (6,545 m) |
| Width | 28 ft |
| Longest span | 1,232 ft |
| Clearance below | 196 ft at high tide |
| Opened | August 27, 1966 |
| Coordinates | 46°13′02″N 123°51′47″W / 46.21722°N 123.86306°W |
The Astoria-Megler Bridge is a continuous truss bridge that spans the mouth of the Columbia River between Astoria, Oregon and Point Ellice near Megler, Washington, in the United States. The span was the last segment of U.S. Route 101 between Olympia, Washington and Los Angeles, California.[1] It is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.
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[edit] History
Ferry service between Astoria and the Washington side of the Columbia River began in 1926.[2] The Oregon Department of Transportation purchased the ferry service in 1946. This ferry service did not operate during inclement weather and the half-hour travel time caused delays. In order to allow faster and more reliable crossings at the mouth of the river, a bridge was planned. The bridge was built jointly by the Oregon Department of Transportation and Washington State Department of Transportation.[3]
Construction on the structure began on November 5, 1962. The concrete piers were cast at Tongue Point, 4 miles (6 km) upriver. The steel structure was built in segments at Vancouver, Washington, 90 miles (145 km) upriver, then barged downstream where hydraulic jacks lifted them into place. On August 27, 1966, with more than 30,000 people in attendance, Governors Mark Hatfield of Oregon and Dan Evans of Washington opened the bridge by cutting a ceremonial ribbon. The cost of the project was $24 million and was paid for by tolls that were removed on December 24, 1993.
[edit] Details
The bridge is 21,474 ft (6,545 m) in length[4] and carries one lane of traffic in each direction. The main span is closest to the Oregon side and measures 1,232 feet (376 m) long.[2] The bridge was built to withstand 150 mph (240 km/h) wind gusts and river speeds of 9 mph (14 km/h).[1] As of 2004, an average of 7,100 vehicles per day use the Astoria-Megler Bridge.[5] Designed by William A. Bugee, construction of the cantilever truss bridge was completed by the DeLong Corporation, the American Bridge Company, and Pomeroy Gerwick.[6]
Pedestrians are prohibited from the bridge[7] except during the annual bridge walk called the "Great Columbia Crossing".[8] Bicycles are permitted on the bridge in both Oregon[9] and Washington.[10]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Holstine, Craig E.; Hobbs, Richard (2005). Spanning Washington : Historic Highway Bridges of the Evergreen State. Washington State University Press. p. 100. ISBN 0-87422-281-8.
- ^ a b Astoria-Megler Bridge. Astoria & Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved on May 14, 2008.
- ^ Smith, Dwight A.; Norman, James B.; Dykman, Pieter T. (1989). Historic Highway Bridges of Oregon. Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 299. ISBN 0-87595-205-4.
- ^ Oregon Coastal Highway Bridges
- ^ NBI Structure Number: 07949C009 00241. Nationalbridges.com. Retrieved on May 14, 2008.
- ^ Astoria Bridge. Structurae. Retrieved on May 14, 2008.
- ^ Cool Ship Watching Spots On the Lower Columbia
- ^ passport2oregon.com: Astoria
- ^ Oregon Department of Transportation: Oregon Coast Bike Route
- ^ Washington State Department of Transportation: State Highways Sections Closed to Bicycles
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Astoria-Megler Bridge |
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