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 the Bonneville Dam. It is a toll bridge operated by the Port of Cascade Locks.

Bridge of the Gods
Bridge of the Gods
Coordinates45.662424°N 121.901276°W / 45.662424; -121.901276 (Bridge of the Gods)
CrossesColumbia River
LocaleCascade Locks, Oregon / Skamania County, Washington
Maintained byPort of Cascade Locks
Characteristics
DesignCantilever through truss
Total length1,856 ft (565 m)
Longest span706 ft (215 m)
Clearance below140 feet (43 m)[1]
History
Opened1926
Statistics
Daily traffic3,732 (2014)[2]
TollCars $2.00 (both directions)

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 in 1940 and extended to its current length of 1,858 feet (566 m).[3] The Columbia River Bridge Company of Spokane, Washington, acquired ownership of the bridge in 1953 for $735,000.[4] The Port of Cascade Locks Commission now operates the bridge.

An aerial view of the Bridge of the Gods, January 2015

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.

The bridge toll was increased to $2 per crossing due to the increased traffic on the bridge after the release of the 2014 film Wild.[5]

See also

References
  1. "Bridge of the Gods". Port of Cascade Locks. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
  2. "WSDOT Annual Traffic Report, 2014" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  3. PortofCascadeLocks. "Bridge of the Gods". Port of Cascade Locks. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  4. "Bridge of Gods changes hands". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Wash. February 19, 1953. p. 7. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
  5. "Bridge of the Gods toll increases July 1, 'Wild' movie to blame". KATU. June 30, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
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