Third biennial report of the Oregon State Highway Commission

by Simon Benson; R. A. Booth; Herbert Nunn; W. L. Thompson

BRIDGES

The State Highway Department has, during the period covered by this report, prepared designs for ninety-six bridges and fourteen special culverts. Of these structures sixty bridges and ten culverts have been constructed at a total cost to State and Counties of $617,388.09.

The structures paid for out of State funds consist of twenty-two reinforced concrete bridges, ten wood bridges, and seven culverts. The total expenditure of State funds for these bridges and culverts was $239,044.85.

REINFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGE OVER HOOD RIVER, NEARING COMPLETION, ON THE
COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY AT HOOD RIVER CITY. BUILT IN 1918.

The structures paid for out of county funds consist of thirteen reinforced concrete bridges, fourteen wood and steel bridges, and four culverts; the total cost of these structures being $378,343.24.

Of the structures paid for by the counties, the State Highway Department supervised the construction for three reinforced concrete bridges, four steel and wood bridges, and one culvert; the cost of which totaled $288,743.24.

A complete tabulation of the bridges designed and constructed is given in another part of this report, and complete descriptions of the more important structures will be found in the articles devoted to the particular counties in which the structures are located.

The $250,000.00 intercounty bridge across the Willamette River at Salem was completed, and has attracted more than local attention. While the cost of this structure was borne by Marion and Polk Counties the design and construction engineering were handled by this Department.

The reinforced concrete arch bridge at Hood River, the largest concrete bridge yet constructed in this State was designed and built under State supervision, although the County also contributed toward its cost.

Among the proposed bridges of considerable magnitude for which county officials have requested designs from this Department may be mentioned the Deschutes and Oregon City. The former will be located between the present toll bridge and the railroad bridge across the Deschutes River and will thus obviate the necessity of toll payments. It will consist of a series of reinforced concrete arches. The Oregon City bridge will replace the old suspension bridge across the Willamette. Studies are being made and comparisons of various types of bridges and locations of site are being made.

During the war period, both for patriotic and economic reasons the employment of steel bridges was discontinued and wooden truss bridges used instead. Now that the demand for steel for war purposes has subsided, and there are indications of a decline in the price of structural steel in the near future, the resumption of use of that material in the construction of bridges will probably be more general.