Wapato Bridge

Coordinates: 45°37′41″N 122°48′59″W / 45.628021°N 122.816307°W / 45.628021; -122.816307
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Wapato Bridge
U.S. Route 30 to Sauvie Island
CrossesMultnomah Channel
LocaleSauvie Island, in Multnomah County, near Portland, Oregon
Official nameWapato Bridge (2023–)
Other name(s)Sauvie Island Bridge (1950–2023)
Characteristics
Total lengthOld bridge: 1,198 feet (365 m)
(new: approx. same)
Width66 feet (20 m)
(old bridge 41 ft (12 m))
Longest span360 feet (110 m)
(old bridge 200 feet (61 m))
History
OpenedJune 23, 2008 (current bridge)
Location
Map

The Wapato Bridge, formerly known as the Sauvie Island Bridge,

tied arch bridge
with a 360-foot (110 m) span in 2008 due to cracks discovered in 2001.

In November 2022, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners voted to rename the bridge in honor of the Native Americans who originally lived on Sauvie Island.[2][3] Subsequently, Wapato Bridge was chosen as the new name, and the change went into effect in November 2023.[4]

Old bridge

Opened on December 30, 1950, the first bridge to

Parker truss, sat 80 feet (24 m) above the water line and handled an average of 3,800 vehicles per day.[6]

New bridge

Old and new bridges, March 2008
A roadway-level view of the new bridge, with Mt. St. Helens in the background

After cracks were found in the 1950 span in 2001,

tied arch design[7] constructed of steel, while the approach spans are a box-girder style using pre-stressed concrete. The bridge has two lanes of traffic with shoulders and sidewalks on both sides for a total width of 66 feet.[6] The bridge was floated into place after it was constructed.[8]

In March 2006, then-

Bicycle Transportation Alliance supported the idea.[10] Adams ultimately retracted the proposal, realizing the cost would likely be more than the $5.5 million he had originally stated.[11][12]

The $43 million new bridge opened June 23, 2008.

In November 2023, following a vote by the county's board of commissioners a year earlier, the Sauvie Island Bridge was renamed Wapato Bridge, in honor of the Native Americans who originally lived on the island.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ KATU Staff (November 30, 2023). "Sauvie Island crossing renamed Wapato Bridge to reflect history of indigenous people". KATU. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  2. ^ Egener, Max (November 18, 2022). "Sauvie Island Bridge to be renamed for Indigenous people". Portland Tribune. Archived from the original on November 19, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  3. ^ Garcia, Isabella (November 17, 2022). "Multnomah County Board Seeks to Rename Sauvie Island Bridge". Portland Mercury. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Del Savio, Anna (November 30, 2023). "Bridge to Sauvie Island renamed Wapato Bridge". Portland Tribune. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  5. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  6. ^ . pp. 102-104.
  7. ^ Rivera, Dylan (October 8, 2008). "Bridge design is key". The Oregonian.
  8. ^ "Oregon Department of Transportation : Home : State of Oregon".
  9. ^ "Is the Sauvie Island Bridge Worth Saving?", CommissionerSam.com Archived May 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "Pearl wants Sauvie Bridge" by Andy Giegerich, Portland Business Journal, July 20, 2007
  11. ^ Griffin, Anna (May 25, 2008). "Making Portland be all it can be". The Oregonian.
  12. ^ Maus, Jonathan (May 7, 2008). ""With a heavy heart" Adams explains Sauvie decision". BikePortland.org.
  13. ^ "Sauvie Bridge opens to traffic". Daily Journal of Commerce. June 24, 2008. Retrieved February 8, 2010.
  14. ^ Tucker, Libby (August 18, 2008). "Adios, old Sauvie bridge". Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved June 21, 2009.

External links