Astoria Megler Bridge

by Robert Bales

Title

Astoria Megler Bridge

Artist

Robert Bales

Medium

Photograph - Photo

Description

The Astoria Megler Bridge, which was formally dedicated August 27, 1966, stretches 4.1 miles from Astoria, Oregon, across the mouth of the Columbia River, to Point Ellice, Washington. Its construction was an impressive feat. The bridge�s main span is 1,232 feet in length, the longest �continuous truss� in the nation.

North and South traffic across the mouth of the Columbia River was a problem for many years. In 1921 a scheduled ferry service from Astoria, to Megler on the Washington side, was established. The operation of the ferry system was taken over by the State of Oregon in 1946, with operational control being assigned to the State Highway Department.

For many years, the idea of a bridge across the Lower Columbia River simmered in people�s thoughts, and in 1961, Senator Dan Theil (of Astoria) successfully headed a crusade for the bridge, �a bridge,� critics said, �to nowhere.� On August 6, 1962, Oregon�s Governor, Mark O. Hatfield, turned the first shovel of dirt on the river bank in Astoria marking the official start of the project. Actual construction work began on November 5, 1962.

The Astoria approach utilizes pre-stressed concrete beam spans, set on concrete piers, located to avoid overloading the slide-prone Astoria hills. The approach ramp curves counter-clockwise through a full 360 degrees, climbing almost 200 feet above mean low water.

The bridge is designed to withstand some of the toughest attacks of nature, Wind gusts of 150 miles per hour from the fierce Pacific storms that occasionally batter the coast still leave the bridge with a safety factor. The concrete piers are built with an eye toward the river flood speed of nine miles per hour when whole trees sometime are swept along by the raging water.

Uploaded

March 9th, 2013

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