| The Dalles Bridge | |
|---|---|
 West side of The Dalles Bridge, as viewed from the north shore of the Columbia River, January 2008 | |
| Coordinates | 45°36′36″N 121°08′21″W / 45.610136°N 121.139099°W / 45.610136; -121.139099 (The Dalles Bridge) |
| Carries |  US 197 |
| Crosses | Columbia River |
| Locale | The Oregon-Washington state line (between The Dalles, Oregon and Dallesport, Washington) |
| Named for | The city of The Dalles |
| Maintained by | Oregon Department of Transportation |
| NBI number | 06635 004 00077 |
| Preceded by | Oregon Trunk Rail Bridge |
| Followed by | Hood River Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cantilever truss |
| Material | Steel |
| Total length | 3,339 feet (1,018 m) |
| Traversable? | Yes |
| Longest span | 576 feet (176 m) |
| No. of spans | 33 sub-spans |
| History | |
| Construction cost | $2.4 million |
| Opened | December 18, 1953 |
| Replaces | Ferry service |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | nearly 8,400 |
| Location | |
The Dalles Bridge is a bridge on U.S. Route 197 (US 197) that spans the Columbia River in the United States between The Dalles, Oregon and Dallesport, Washington.
Description
The steel cantilever truss bridge is located just downstream from The Dalles Dam. Although the bridge reaches into the state of Washington, it is maintained by the Oregon Department of Transportation. The average daily traffic on the bridge (US 197) is nearly 8,400. US 197 connects Washington State Route 14, a few miles to the north of the bridge, with Interstate 84 and US 30, both just south of the bridge, and with U.S. Route 97, about 67 miles to the south.
History
Ferry service operations began at the site in 1854, but just over a decade later, in 1865, plans for a bridge began. However, it took about another 85 years and the construction of The Dalles Dam before the bridge was finally built. Although the bridge was built in connection with the dam, the bridge opened December 18, 1953, but the dam was not completed until 1957. Due to issues with the dam, the bridge had to be redesigned as a longer one and the location moved slightly farther downstream than originally planned. Notwithstanding, the already fabricated steel components (for the original bridge design) were successfully modified and used in the newly designed bridge. The cost of construction was $2.4 million (equivalent to $87.9 million in 2023).
The bridge had a toll from its opening until November 1, 1974, when the bridge's construction bond (which had been issued by Wasco County in Oregon) was paid off.
References
- ^ "Border Bridges". wsdot.wa.gov. Washington State Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
- ^ Long, Priscilla (June 12, 2006). "The Dalles Bridge spanning the Columbia River is completed on December 18, 1953". historylink.org. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: The Dalles Bridge (for Oregon state)
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: The Dalles Bridge (for Washington state)
Further reading
Holstine, Craig; Hobbs, Richard (2005). Spanning Washington: Historic Highway Bridges of the Evergreen State. Pullman, Washington: Washington State University Press. pp. 105–107.
External links
- Border Bridges: US197 Dalles Bridge (ODOT) Archived September 23, 2017, at the Wayback Machine (on official webpage of Washington State Department of Transportation)
- Crossing the Dalles bridge on YouTube
- Breathtaking Scenery at the Dalles, Oregon Bridge and Dam (on anewlifewandering.com)
- The Dalles Bridge (on bridgehunter.com)
- The Dalles Bridge and Ferry (on columbiariverimages.com)
| Crossings of the Columbia River | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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- Road bridges in Washington (state)
- Columbia River Gorge
- Former toll bridges in Oregon
- Former toll bridges in Washington (state)
- Bridges completed in 1953
- Buildings and structures in The Dalles, Oregon
- Transportation buildings and structures in Wasco County, Oregon
- Bridges over the Columbia River
- Transportation buildings and structures in Klickitat County, Washington
- Road bridges in Oregon
- U.S. Route 97
- Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System
- 1953 establishments in Oregon
- 1953 establishments in Washington (state)
- Steel bridges in the United States
- Cantilever bridges in the United States
- Truss bridges in the United States
- Western United States bridge (structure) stubs
- Oregon building and structure stubs
- Oregon transportation stubs
- Washington (state) building and structure stubs
- Washington (state) transportation stubs