Bridge of the Gods (modern structure)
The Bridge of the Gods is a steel truss cantilever bridge that spans the Columbia River between Cascade Locks, Oregon, and Washington state near North Bonneville. It is approximately 40 miles (64 km) east of Portland, Oregon, and 4 miles (6.4 km) upriver from Bonneville Dam. It is a toll bridge operated by the Port of Cascade Locks.
Bridge of the Gods | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 45.6623°N 121.9012°W |
| Crosses | Columbia River |
| Locale | Cascade Locks, Oregon / Skamania County, Washington |
| Maintained by | Port of Cascade Locks |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cantilever through truss |
| Total length | 1,856 ft (565 m) |
| Longest span | 706 ft (215 m) |
| Clearance below | 140 feet (43 m)[1] |
| History | |
| Opened | 1926 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 3,732 (2014)[2] |
| Toll | Cars $2.00 (both directions) |
| Location | |
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The bridge was completed by the Wauna Toll Bridge Company and opened in 1926 at a length of 1,127 feet (344 m). The higher river levels resulting from the construction of the Bonneville Dam required the bridge to be further elevated by 44 feet (13 m) in 1938[3] and extended to its current length of 1,858 feet (566 m).[4] The Columbia River Bridge Company of Spokane, Washington, acquired ownership of the bridge in 1953 for $735,000[5] (equivalent to $7.02 million[6] today). The Port of Cascade Locks purchased the bridge with $950,000 (or $8.13 million[6] today) in revenue bonds, issued on November 1, 1961. The Port of Cascade Locks Commission owns and operates the bridge still today.
The bridge is named after the historic geologic feature also known as Bridge of the Gods.
The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the Columbia River on the Bridge of the Gods, and the lowest elevation of the trail is on this bridge.
Onlookers in September 1927 saw Charles Lindbergh fly the Spirit of St. Louis from Portland low over the new bridge and then, in a bit of barnstorming, make a 180 degree turn and fly back under the bridge, continuing to the Portland Airport, then on Swan Island.[3]
The bridge toll increased to $2 per crossing due to the increased traffic after the release of the 2014 film Wild.[7]
References
- "Bridge of the Gods". Port of Cascade Locks. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
- "WSDOT Annual Traffic Report, 2014" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
- "Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail: Bridge of the Gods, Part 1". US National Park Service. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
Strange trivia fact: In September 1927, Charles Lindbergh flew up the gorge from Portland in the "Spirit of St. Louis," passing low over the newly-built Bridge of the Gods.
- PortofCascadeLocks. "Bridge of the Gods". Port of Cascade Locks. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
- "Bridge of Gods changes hands". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Wash. February 19, 1953. p. 7. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
- Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- "Bridge of the Gods toll increases July 1, 'Wild' movie to blame". KATU. June 30, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
