Senator George Sellar Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Senator George Sellar Bridge, also known as the Columbia River Bridge at Wenatchee, Washington
was built in 1950 to carry U.S. Route 2
across the Columbia River
. The steel suspended tied-arch
bridge has a main span of 480 feet (146.3 m) with 224 feet (68.3 m) anchor arms. The suspended portion of roadway comprises 352 feet (107.3 m) and is 54 feet (16.5 m) wide, carrying four lanes with a median divider strip at a height of 180 feet (54.9 m) above mean water level. The 1950 bridge replaced a bridge built in 1908 at the same location. The new bridge was recognized by the American Institute of Steel Construction
as the most beautiful bridge of 1950 for spans over 400 feet (121.9 m) in length.
The bridge's engineer was R. W. Finke. The contractor was the General Construction Company of Seattle, using steel fabricated by the American Bridge Company
. The bridge rests on two concrete piers in the river, with the central arch between them, and cantilever spans extending to concrete abutments high on the riverbanks. Now named the Senator George Sellar Bridge after a Washington state senator, the bridge carries Washington State Route 285
since the construction of the Richard Odabashian Bridge for Route 2 farther north. An additional lane was added in 2009-2010. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
on May 24, 1995.
Wenatchee, Washington
Wenatchee is located in North Central Washington and is the largest city and county seat of Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population within the city limits in 2010 was 31,925...
was built in 1950 to carry U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2 is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada...
across 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...
. The steel suspended tied-arch
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
bridge has a main span of 480 feet (146.3 m) with 224 feet (68.3 m) anchor arms. The suspended portion of roadway comprises 352 feet (107.3 m) and is 54 feet (16.5 m) wide, carrying four lanes with a median divider strip at a height of 180 feet (54.9 m) above mean water level. The 1950 bridge replaced a bridge built in 1908 at the same location. The new bridge was recognized by the American Institute of Steel Construction
American Institute of Steel Construction
The American Institute of Steel Construction, often abbreviated AISC, is a not-for-profit technical institute and trade association for the use of structural steel in the construction industry of the United States. It is headquartered in Chicago, IL. Their mission is to make structural steel the...
as the most beautiful bridge of 1950 for spans over 400 feet (121.9 m) in length.
The bridge's engineer was R. W. Finke. The contractor was the General Construction Company of Seattle, using steel fabricated by the American Bridge Company
American Bridge Company
The American Bridge Company is a privately held civil engineering firm specializing in the construction and renovation of bridges and other large civil engineering projects, founded in 1900, and headquartered in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.-Products and industry positioning:The...
. The bridge rests on two concrete piers in the river, with the central arch between them, and cantilever spans extending to concrete abutments high on the riverbanks. Now named the Senator George Sellar Bridge after a Washington state senator, the bridge carries Washington State Route 285
Washington State Route 285
State Route 285 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Washington. It follows the old route of U.S. Route 2 through Wenatchee.-Major intersections:-References:...
since the construction of the Richard Odabashian Bridge for Route 2 farther north. An additional lane was added in 2009-2010. The bridge was placed on 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...
on May 24, 1995.