Astoria-Megler Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Astoria–Megler Bridge is a steel girder continuous truss bridge
that spans the Columbia River
between Astoria, Oregon
and Point Ellice near Megler, Washington
, in the United States
. The span is 14 miles (22.5 km) from the mouth of the river, and was the last segment of U.S. Route 101
between Olympia, Washington
and Los Angeles, California
. It is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.
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 near 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
.
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, equivalent to $ today, and was paid for by tolls that were removed on December 24, 1993, more than two years early.
The bridge is 21474 feet (6,545.3 m) in length and carries one lane of traffic in each direction. The main span is closest to the Oregon side and measures 1232 feet (375.5 m) long. The bridge was built to withstand 150 mph (240 km/h) wind gusts and river speeds of 9 mph (14 km/h). As of 2004, an average of 7,100 vehicles per day use the Astoria–Megler Bridge. Designed by William Adair Bugge (July 10, 1900 - November 14, 1992), construction of the cantilever truss bridge was completed by the DeLong Corporation, the American Bridge Company, and Pomeroy Gerwick.
The south end is located at 46.18723 °N 123.85427 °W beside what used to be the toll plaza, at the end of a 650 metres (2,132.5 ft) long inclined ramp which gains elevation to clear the channel over land. The north end is at 46.24084 °N 123.87493 °W and connects directly to SR 401. Since most of the northern portion of the bridge is over non-navigable water, it is low to the water.
Pedestrians are prohibited from the bridge except during the annual bridge walk called the "Great Columbia Crossing". Bicycles are permitted on the bridge.
Repainting the bridge was planned for May 2009 through 2011 and budgeted at $20,000,000 to be shared by the states of Oregon and Washington. However, a four year planned paint stripping and repainting project is planned for March 2012 through December 2016.
, Kindergarten Cop
, and The Goonies
, and represents the doomed fictional Madison Bridge in Irwin Allen's 1979 made-for-TV disaster movie The Night the Bridge Fell Down
.
Continuous truss bridge
A continuous truss bridge is a truss bridge which extends without hinges or joints across three or more supports. A continuous truss bridge may use less material than a series of simple trusses because a continuous truss distributes live loads across all the spans; in a series of simple trusses,...
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 Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
and Point Ellice near Megler, Washington
Megler, Washington
Megler is a small community located in Pacific County in the U.S. state of Washington. Named for legislator Joseph G. Megler, the community is located at the mouth of the Columbia River on the north shore of the river...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The span is 14 miles (22.5 km) from the mouth of the river, and was the last segment of U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is an important north–south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States...
between Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
and Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. It is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.
History
Ferry service between Astoria and the Washington side of the Columbia River began in 1926. The Oregon Department of TransportationOregon 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...
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 near the mouth of the river, a bridge was planned. The bridge was built jointly 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 Washington State Department of Transportation
Washington State Department of Transportation
The Washington State Department of Transportation , was established in 1905. The agency, led by a Secretary and overseen by the Governor, is a Washington governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of the state's transportation infrastructure...
.
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
Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Incorporated in 1857, it is the fourth largest city in the state with a 2010 census population of 161,791 as of April 1, 2010...
, 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
Mark Hatfield
Mark Odom Hatfield was an American politician and educator from the state of Oregon. A Republican, he served for 30 years as a United States Senator from Oregon, and also as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee...
of Oregon and Dan Evans
Daniel J. Evans
Daniel Jackson Evans served three terms as the 16th Governor of the state of Washington from 1965 to 1977, and represented the state in the United States Senate from 1983 to 1989....
of Washington opened the bridge by cutting a ceremonial ribbon. The cost of the project was $24 million, equivalent to $ today, and was paid for by tolls that were removed on December 24, 1993, more than two years early.
Details
The south end is located at 46.18723 °N 123.85427 °W beside what used to be the toll plaza, at the end of a 650 metres (2,132.5 ft) long inclined ramp which gains elevation to clear the channel over land. The north end is at 46.24084 °N 123.87493 °W and connects directly to SR 401. Since most of the northern portion of the bridge is over non-navigable water, it is low to the water.
Pedestrians are prohibited from the bridge except during the annual bridge walk called the "Great Columbia Crossing". Bicycles are permitted on the bridge.
Repainting the bridge was planned for May 2009 through 2011 and budgeted at $20,000,000 to be shared by the states of Oregon and Washington. However, a four year planned paint stripping and repainting project is planned for March 2012 through December 2016.
Popular culture
The bridge itself is featured prominently in the movies Short CircuitShort Circuit
Short Circuit is a 1986 comedy science fiction film starring Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg and directed by John Badham. Fisher Stevens, Austin Pendleton, and G. W...
, Kindergarten Cop
Kindergarten Cop
Kindergarten Cop is a 1990 American comedy thriller film directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger stars as John Kimble, a tough police detective, who must go undercover as a kindergarten teacher to catch drug dealer Cullen Crisp , before Crisp can get to his...
, and The Goonies
The Goonies
The Goonies is a 1985 American adventure-comedy film directed by Richard Donner. The screenplay was written by Chris Columbus from a story by executive producer Steven Spielberg. The premise surrounds a band of pre-teens who live in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon hoping to save...
, and represents the doomed fictional Madison Bridge in Irwin Allen's 1979 made-for-TV disaster movie The Night the Bridge Fell Down
The Night the Bridge Fell Down
The Night the Bridge Fell Down is an American action film starring James MacArthur, Desi Arnaz Jr., and Leslie Nielsen. The movie was produced by Irwin Allen in 1979 in association with Warner Bros...
.