Astoria-Megler Bridge

Astoria-Megler Bridge

Carries	2 lanes of US 101
Crosses	Columbia River
Locale	Astoria, Oregon
Maintained by	Oregon DOT
Design	cantilever through-truss
Longest span	1,232 ft
Total length	21,474 ft (6,545 m)
Width	28 ft
Clearance below	196 ft at high tide
Opening date	August 27 1966
Coordinates	46°13′02″N, 123°51′47″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. It was the last segment of U.S. Route 101 between Canada and Mexico.^[1] It is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.

The bridge was built to replace a ferry service purchased by the Oregon Department of Transportation in 1946. This ferry service did not operate during inclement weather and the half an hour travel time caused delays. The bridge was built jointly by the Oregon Department of Transportation and Washington Department of Transportation.^[2] Construction 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.

The bridge is 21,474 ft (6,545 m) in length and carries one lane of traffic in each direction. The main span is closest to the Oregon side. The bridge was built to withstand 150 mph (240 km/h) wind gusts and river speeds of 9 mph (14 km/h).^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Holstine, Craig E. (2005). Spanning Washington : Historic Highway Bridges of the Evergreen State. Washington State University Press, 100. ISBN 0-87422-281-8.
^ Smith, Dwight A.; Norman, James B.; Dykman, Pieter T. (1989). Historic Highway Bridges of Oregon. Oregon Historical Society Press, 299. ISBN 0-87595-205-4.

External links

funbeach.com: Astoria-Megler Bridge
oldoregon.com: Astoria-Megler Bridge
uoregon.edu: Astoria-Megler Bridge
Astoria Bridge in the Structurae database

Crossings of the Columbia River
Upstream Wahkiakum County Ferry	Astoria-Megler Bridge	Downstream Pacific Ocean

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