The Grand Coulee Bridge, or Columbia River Bridge at Grand Coulee Dam,[3] is a through-cantilever steel truss bridge built in 1934–35. It carries State Route 155 across the Columbia River immediately below Grand Coulee Dam, near the city of Grand Coulee, Washington. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[4]
Grand Coulee Bridge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 47°57′56″N 118°58′56″W / 47.965431°N 118.982164°W |
| Carries |  SR 155 |
| Crosses | Columbia River |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Through cantilever truss |
| Material | Concrete and steel |
| Total length | 1,089 ft (331.9 m)[1] |
| Longest span | 565 ft (172.2 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1935 |
Grand Coulee Bridge | |
| Location | Spans Columbia River, Coulee Dam, Washington |
| Built | 1934–1935 |
| Architect | Washington Department of Highways |
| MPS | Historic Bridges/Tunnels in Washington State TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004267[2] |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1982 |
| Location | |
 | |
The bridge was built to transport heavy equipment across the Columbia River during the construction of the dam, and thereafter as a permanent highway bridge. As such, it was designed to carry a heavier load than was typical. The bridge is supported by two concrete piers, about 150 feet (46 m) high. During construction, one of the piers began to tilt, probably due to fine glacial material under the gravel. Additional supports were added as a temporary measure. It employed between 1,000 and 1,200 men. The piers were later taken down to bedrock using pneumatic caissons.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Bridge List M 23-09" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. June 2011. p. 253. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Historic Bridges". WSDOT.
- ^ a b Soderberg, Lisa (April 1984). "HAER Inventory - Grand Coulee Bridge" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record and National Park Service. Retrieved January 21, 2016. Accompanying two photos.
External links
edit
- Grand Coulee Bridge on Archiplanet
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. WA-102, "Columbia River Bridge at Grand Coulee Dam, Spanning Columbia River at State Route 155, Coulee Dam, Okanogan County, WA", 11 photos, 12 data pages, 1 photo caption page
- HAER No. WA-106, "Washington State Cantilever Bridges, Olympia, Thurston County, WA", 1 measured drawing, 11 data pages
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