Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Willamette River Bridges: Sellwood Bridge

IMG_0572 Sellwood Bridge in Portland, Oregon on April 26, 2008
Sellwood Bridge on April 26, 2008

The Sellwood Bridge is the southernmost Willamette River Bridge that is technically within Portland, as Sellwood was annexed into Portland in 1893.

IMG_0573 Sellwood Bridge in Portland, Oregon on April 26, 2008
Sellwood Bridge on April 26, 2008

The Sellwood Bridge is a four-span continuous-truss bridge. It opened on December 15, 1925, and is one of only three pre-1941 continuous-truss bridges in Oregon. It was designed by Gustav Lindenthal, who also designed Portland's Burnside Bridge and Ross Island Bridge and New York City's Hell Gate Bridge and Queensboro Bridge.

IMG_0574 Sellwood Bridge in Portland, Oregon on April 26, 2008
Sellwood Bridge on April 26, 2008

The total length of the bridge is 1,971 feet. The four main spans form a 1,092-foot continuous Warren deck truss. The two center spans are each 300 feet long, while the other two are 246 feet long.

IMG_0636 Sellwood Bridge in Portland, Oregon on April 26, 2008
Sellwood Bridge on April 26, 2008

Steel girders from the first Burnside Bridge, built in 1894, were used in the approaches of the Sellwood Bridge. The steel was fabricated by the Judson Manufacturing Company and the bridge was constructed by Gilpin Construction Company of Portland. The bridge was built at a cost of $541,000.

IMG_0637 Sellwood Bridge in Portland, Oregon on April 26, 2008
Sellwood Bridge on April 26, 2008

The two-lane bridge features a 24-foot roadway with a single 4'-3" sidewalk on the north side. It has 75 feet of vertical clearance. It is the busiest two-lane bridge in Oregon.

IMG_0641 Sellwood Bridge in Portland, Oregon on April 26, 2008
Sellwood Bridge on April 26, 2008

Cracks discovered in the approaches in January 2004 led to the weight limit being lowered to 10 tons. Construction of a new Sellwood Bridge began in December 2011, with completion scheduled for January 2016. The old Sellwood Bridge will then be demolished.

IMG_0643 Sellwood Bridge in Portland, Oregon on April 26, 2008
Sellwood Bridge on April 26, 2008

Bridge Type: Four-span continuous-truss (Warren deck truss)
Opened: December 15, 1925
Designed by: Gustav Lindenthal
Fabricated by: Judson Manufacturing Company
Built by: Gilpin Construction Company, Portland, OR
Total Length: 1,971 feet
Truss Length: 1,092 feet
Vertical Clearance: 75 feet
Construction Cost: $541,000
Owned by: Multnomah County

IMG_7974 Sellwood Bridge Plaque in Portland, Oregon on September 24, 2010
Sellwood Bridge Dedication Plaque on September 24, 2010

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