Historic Salem #24: Willamette River Bridges

Willamette River Bridges on September 10, 2006

The bridge in the foreground in the Marion Street Bridge. It was built in 1952 and carries the westbound traffic of Oregon State Route 22. It was widened to four lanes in 1982.

Willamette River Bridges on September 10, 2006

The bridge in the background is the Center Street Bridge, which carries the eastbound traffic. It was originally built in 1918, but an extensive reconstruction in 1983 to widen it to four lanes left little resemblance to the original structure. The first Center Street Bridge opened in December 1886 and was the first bridge over the Willamette anywhere in Oregon. It collapsed into the river on February 3, 1890. The second Center Street Bridge opened January 13, 1891 and lasted until the opening of the 1918 bridge.

Additional Links:
Salem's Bridges at Salem Online History

Historical Photos:
Center Street Bridge, 1886-1890 (Salem Public Library)
Center Street Bridge, 1886-1890 (Salem Public Library)
Center Street Bridge, 1891-1918 (Salem Public Library)
Center Street Bridge, circa 1907 (Salem Public Library)
Center Street Bridge, 1909 (Salem Public Library)
Center Street Bridge, 1945 (Salem Public Library)
Marion Street Bridge Construction, 1952 (Salem Public Library)
Marion Street Bridge Construction, 5/52 (Salem Public Library)
Marion Street Bridge, October 30, 1957 (Salem Public Library)
Center Street Bridge, October 30, 1957 (Salem Public Library)

Continue to Historic Downtown Salem, OR…