Albion River Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Albion River Bridge is a wooden deck truss bridge crossing the Albion River
in Mendocino County, California
. It is the only remaining wooden bridge
on California State Route 1
; dramatic views of the bridge are visible from the nearby town of Albion, California
.
The Albion River has been crossed by a bridge since 1861, when a state franchise was granted to the Albion Bridge Company (renewed in 1863 to the Albion River Bridge Company). However, until the present bridge was built in 1944, the crossing was low, and could be reached only by treacherous grades up and down the bluffs on either side of the river.
In 1944, the present span was opened. It was built during World War II
, and because concrete and steel were in short supply during the war, it was built of salvaged wood, treated with a copper
azole
preservative
. It includes a steel center truss that was also salvaged, possibly from an older bridge in Oregon, supported by concrete towers.
It is 970 feet (295.7 m) long and its deck is 26 feet (7.9 m) wide. As of 2000 it carries approximately 3200 vehicles per day.
However, in 2009, the California Department of Transportation
proposed to replace the bridge and the nearby bridge over Salmon Creek to the south. The timbers of the existing bridge remain in good condition, but the central steel truss has been corroded and needs replacement, and the bridge deck does not meet modern safety standards for its width and rail design, rendering it functionally obsolete. The planned replacement bridge would feature a wider deck with separate pedestrian walkways.
Albion River
The Albion River is an river in Mendocino County, California. The river drains about on the Mendocino Coast and empties into the Pacific Ocean near the town of Albion, California, where California State Route 1 crosses it on the Albion River Bridge. The river's overall direction is east to west,...
in Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
. It is the only remaining wooden bridge
Wooden bridge
A wooden bridge is a bridge that uses wood as a building medium. One of the first forms of bridges, the wooden bridge has been used since ancient times, among them the Holzbrücke Rapperswil-Hurden crossing upper Lake Zürich in Switzerland. The prehistoric timber piles discovered to the west of the...
on California State Route 1
California State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
; dramatic views of the bridge are visible from the nearby town of Albion, California
Albion, California
Albion is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California. It is located south of Fort Bragg, at an elevation of 174 feet . Albion had a population of 168 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
.
The Albion River has been crossed by a bridge since 1861, when a state franchise was granted to the Albion Bridge Company (renewed in 1863 to the Albion River Bridge Company). However, until the present bridge was built in 1944, the crossing was low, and could be reached only by treacherous grades up and down the bluffs on either side of the river.
In 1944, the present span was opened. It was built during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and because concrete and steel were in short supply during the war, it was built of salvaged wood, treated with a copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
azole
Azole
An azole is a class of five-membered nitrogen heterocyclic ring compounds containing at least one other non-carbon atom of either nitrogen, sulfur, or oxygen. The parent compounds are aromatic and have two double bonds; there are successively reduced analogs with fewer...
preservative
Wood preservation
All measures that are taken to ensure a long life of wood fall under the definition wood preservation . Apart from structural wood preservation measures, there are a number of different preservatives and processes that can extend the life of wood, timber, wood structures or engineered wood...
. It includes a steel center truss that was also salvaged, possibly from an older bridge in Oregon, supported by concrete towers.
It is 970 feet (295.7 m) long and its deck is 26 feet (7.9 m) wide. As of 2000 it carries approximately 3200 vehicles per day.
However, in 2009, the California Department of Transportation
California Department of Transportation
The California Department of Transportation is a government department in the U.S. state of California. Its mission is to improve mobility across the state. It manages the state highway system and is actively involved with public transportation systems throughout the state...
proposed to replace the bridge and the nearby bridge over Salmon Creek to the south. The timbers of the existing bridge remain in good condition, but the central steel truss has been corroded and needs replacement, and the bridge deck does not meet modern safety standards for its width and rail design, rendering it functionally obsolete. The planned replacement bridge would feature a wider deck with separate pedestrian walkways.