St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
The St. Johns Bridge is one of only three highway suspension bridges in Oregon.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
It is 2,067 feet long, with a 1,207-foot center span.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
The gothic towers are 408 feet tall, and the bridge has 205 feet of vertical clearance, making it the tallest of Portland's bridges.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
The bridge was designed by noted bridge engineer David B. Steinman, who worked with Gustav Lindenthal on New York's Hell Gate Bridge and went on to design the Mackinac Bridge connecting the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
Construction began a month before the 1929 stock market crash, and was completed in 21 months and $1 million under budget.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
The bridge's color of Verde Green was chosen by Steinman; the color was announced on St. Patrick's Day, 1931.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
The St. Johns Bridge was dedicated on June 13, 1931, as part of the Rose Festival.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
The opening of the St. Johns Bridge ended the last ferry operation in Portland across the Willamette River.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
When it opened, the St. Johns Bridge was the longest bridge across the Willamette River and the longest suspension span west of Detroit, Michigan; it had the highest clearance of any bridge in the United States, the longest prefabricated cable rope strands, the tallest steel-frame reinforced concrete piers (Pier #10 is the tallest, at 183 feet) and the first application of aviation clearance lights.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
The St. Johns Bridge is said to have been David Steinman’s favorite of the 400 bridges he designed.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
The bridge was originally owned by Multnomah County, but was taken over by the State of Oregon on August 31, 1975.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
The bridge and the St. Johns community are named for settler James John, who, in 1852 with a single rowboat, started the ferry service that this bridge replaced.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
The land where James John settled, now under the bridge's east approach, is now Cathedral Park, dedicated on May 3, 1980 and named for the bridge's cathedral-like gothic arches.
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
| Bridge Type: | Suspension |
| Dedicated: | June 13, 1931 |
| Designed by: | David B. Steinman |
| Total Length: | 2,067 feet |
| Center Span Length: | 1,207 feet |
| Tower Height: | 408 feet |
| Vertical Clearance: | 205 feet |
| Carries: | U.S. Highway 30 Bypass |
| Built for: | Multnomah County |
| Owned by: | Oregon Department of Transportation |
| Color: | Verde Green |
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
Historical Photos:
Postcard View of St. Johns Ferry (Multnomah County Genweb)
St. Johns Bridge construction, 1930 (Portland Auditor's Office)
St. Johns Bridge Dedication (Oregon Historical Society)
Night View of the St. Johns Bridge, 1935 (Portland Auditor's Office)
St. Johns Bridge (Oregon Historical Society)
St. Johns Bridge (Oregon Historical Society)
St. Johns Bridge (Oregon Historical Society)
Battleship under St. Johns Bridge (Multnomah County Genweb)
Battleship under St. Johns Bridge (Multnomah County Genweb)
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
St. Johns Bridge on April 26, 2008
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