Columbia River Bridge (Wenatchee, Washington)

The Columbia River Bridge at Wenatchee, Washington, also known as the Old Wenatchee Bridge, was built by the Washington Bridge Company in 1908, primarily as a means to carry irrigation water pipelines across the Columbia River. It was the first road bridge over the Columbia south of Canada. The bridge is a pin-connected cantilever truss, 1,600 feet (490 m) long, with one 200-foot (61 m) Pratt truss between two 160-foot (49 m) cantilever arms, with 240-foot (73 m) side arms and a 60 feet (18 m) girder span. The bridge was purchased by the Washington highway department for $182,000 for highway use. As originally built, the bridge carried a 20.5-foot (6.2 m) wide timber roadway, with additional ability to carry a street railway. However, the east approach to the bridge was built at a 6% grade, limiting its potential.[3]

Columbia River Bridge
Coordinates47°24′53″N 120°17′50″W
CrossesColumbia River
LocaleEast Wenatchee, Washington / West Wenatchee, Washington
Maintained byWenatchee Reclamation District, State of Washington
Characteristics
DesignPin-connected cantilever through truss
Total length1,600 feet (490 m)
Longest span520 feet (160 m)
Clearance below85 feet (26 m)[1]
History
Opened1908
ReplacesFerry
Nearest cityWenatchee, Washington
Arealess than one acre
Built byWashington Bridge Company
MPSHistoric Bridges/Tunnels in Washington State TR
NRHP reference No.82004198[2]
Added to NRHPJuly 16, 1982
Location

The bridge was replaced in 1950 by the Senator George Sellar Bridge. The next year the Wenatchee Reclamation District bought the bridge for $1.00, moving the pipes from outside the truss to within. The bridge was opened to foot traffic.[3] In 2007 concerns were raised about the bridge's ability to sustain foot traffic.[4] Repairs were made in 2010.[5]

The bridge currently carries pedestrian and bicycle traffic as part of the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 16, 1982.[6]

  • Bridge in 2016

References
  1. "HAER Inventory: Columbia River Bridge" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. "HAER Inventory: Columbia River Bridge" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  4. "Pipeline bridge approaches its centennial". Wenatchee Business Journal. December 1, 2007.
  5. "Historic Pipeline/Pedestrian Bridge". Washington State Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  6. "Nomination Form for Columbia River Bridge". National Park Service. and accompanying picture
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