Washington is a state with many bodies of water to cross, including Puget Sound, Hood Canal, the Columbia River and numerous smaller rivers and creeks. It has experienced a number of bridge failures before and after the well known Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse in 1940.
Causes
editThe single greatest cause of failure in Washington has been flooding, frequently associated with severe storms, which then results in destructive bridge scour.[1][2][3] According to University of Washington meteorologist Cliff Mass, Western Washington is "particularly vulnerable to such bridge losses, with long floating bridges and the powerful winds associated with our terrain and incoming Pacific cyclones."[3]
| Cause | Number of failures |
|---|---|
| Flood | 42 |
| Fire | 8 |
| Volcanic mud and debris | 5 |
| Collision | 4 |
| Storm | 3 |
| Overload | 3 |
| Tsunami | 2 |
| Wind | 1 |
| Unknown | 2 |
List of bridge failures
edit| Bridge name | Year built |
Date of destruction |
Feature Crossed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-5 Skagit River Bridge | 1955 | May 23, 2013 | Skagit River | Cause: Collision—Truck struck arch with fracture critical design, causing structural failure[5] |
| Dry Creek Bridge | Unknown | Aug 21, 2009 | Dry Creek | |
| Omak Bridge | 1911 | 1911 | Okanogan River | Steel swing bridge collapsed when first tested.[6][7] |
| Fourth Avenue Bridge (Olympia) | 1905 | Mar 15, 1915 | Budd Inlet (Puget Sound) |
Cause: Collapse of drawbridge following sinking of piers[8] |
| Fourth Avenue Bridge (Olympia) | 1919 | Sep 11, 2001 | Budd Inlet (Puget Sound) |
Cause: Earthquake—2001 Nisqually earthquake[9][10] |
| Nolan Creek Bridge | 1931 | Dec 15, 1999 | Nolan Creek | |
| Carbon River Bridge | 1921 | Mar 4, 1998 | Carbon River | Cause: Fire—Wooden deck and wooden approach arch burned following vehicle collision[c] |
| Naches River Bridge | 1938 | Feb 9, 1996 | Naches River | |
| Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge | 1940 | Nov 25, 1990 | Lake Washington | Cause: Storm—Severe windstorm and human error caused flooding of pontoons |
| Carbon River Bridge | 1971 | Nov 24, 1990 | Carbon River | |
| Nooksack River - Nugents Bridge | 1946 | Nov 10, 1989 | Nooksack River | |
| Skokomish River Bridge | 1927 | Oct 4, 1984 | Skokomish River | |
| North Fork Toutle River-Coalbanks | 1972 | May 18, 1980 | N. Fork Toutle River | Cause: Flood—Mud and debris following 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens[d] |
| Alder Creek Bridge | 1954 | May 18, 1980 | Alder Creek | |
| St. Helens Bridge | 1949 | May 18, 1980 | Toutle River | |
| Coldwater Creek Bridge | 1933 | May 18, 1980 | Coldwater Creek | |
| North Fork Toutle River Bridge | 1938 | May 18, 1980 | N. Fork Toutle River | |
| Russell Barker Memorial Bridge | 1925 | Dec 14, 1979 | Bogachiel River | |
| Teanaway River Bridge | 1922 | Nov 28, 1979 | Teanaway River Bridge | |
| Little Naches River Bridge | 1928 | Aug 20, 1979 | Little Naches River | |
| Hood Canal Bridge | 1961 | Feb 13, 1979 | Hood Canal | Cause: Storm—February 13, 1979 windstorm |
| Johnson Creek Bridge | 19 | Oct 1, 1978 | Johnson Creek | |
| Goat Creek Bridge | 1922 | Dec 3, 1977 | Goat Creek | |
| Bear Canyon | 1936 | Dec 2, 1977 | Bear Creek | |
| Creek | Unknown | Dec 2, 1977 | Creek | |
| Satus Creek Bridge | 1959 | Jan 19, 1974 | Satus Creek | Cause: Flood—Floodwaters from January 17 event broke through ice jam on January 19. U.S. Highway 97 and many county roads cut; White Swan unreachable by road; entire county declared Federal disaster area.[15] |
| Satus Creek Third Crossing | 1942 | Jan 19, 1974 | Satus Creek | |
| Satus Creek Fourth Crossing | 1942 | Jan 19, 1974 | Satus Creek | |
| Satus Creek First Crossing | 1942 | Jan 19, 1974 | Satus Creek | |
| Klickitat River Bridge | 1954 | Jan 19, 1974 | Klickitat River | |
| Coal Creek Bridge | 1945 | Feb 4, 1971 | Coal Creek | |
| Dry Creek Bridge | Unknown | Jan 1, 1971 | Dry Creek | |
| Columbia River Bridge, Brewster | 1927 | Aug 5, 1968 | Columbia River | Cause: Fire—Welding torch ignited wood deck, heat weakened steel, causing structural failure[11] |
| Cowlitz River - Nesika | Unknown | Nov 1, 1967 | Cowlitz River | |
| Lake Creek | 1950 | Nov 15, 1966 | Lake Creek | |
| Scatter Creek Bridge | 1932 | Jan 29, 1965 | Scatter Creek | |
| Smith Creek Bridge | Unknown | June 1, 1964 | Smith Creek | |
| Copalis River Bridge | 1952 | Mar 27, 1964 | Copalis River | |
| Joe Creek Bridge | 1953 | Mar 27, 1964 | Joe Creek | |
| Chow Chow Bridge | 1952 | 1964, 1973, 1988 | Quinault River | Collapsed three times. Was an early cable-stayed bridge design on the Quinault Indian Reservation near Taholah, one of the first cable-stayed bridges in the U.S.[16] Timbers made into cedar shakes for tribal center in Taholah after 1988 collapse.[17] |
| Rocky Creek Bridge | 1947 | Nov 19, 1962 | Rocky Creek | |
| Gallup Creek Bridge | 1956 | Nov 19, 1962 | Gallup Creek | |
| Peshastin Creek | 1923 | Nov 20, 1959 | Peshastin Creek | |
| Salmon Creek Bridge | 1927 | Jan 5, 1956 | Salmon Creek | Cause: Bridge scour—Floating tree lodged under pier. Bridge collapsed 13 days after U.S. Highway 99 was opened.[2] |
| South Prarrie Creek Bridge | 1941 | Dec 11, 1955 | South Prarrie Creek | |
| Snake River at Burbank | 1920 | Sep 9, 1949 | Snake River | |
| Salmon Creek Bridge | 1927 | Feb 23, 1949 | Salmon Creek | |
| Robinson Creek Br. | Unknown | June 14, 1948 | Robinson Creek | Cause: Flooding[e] |
| Lost River Bridge | Unknown | June 14, 1948 | Lost River | |
| Methow River Bridge | 1918 | June 14, 1948 | Methow River | |
| Little Boulder Creek Bridge | Unknown | June 14, 1948 | Little Boulder Creek | |
| Chewuck River Bridge | Unknown | June 14, 1948 | Chewuck River | |
| Methow River at Winthrop | 1933 | June 14, 1948 | Methow River | |
| Methow River Bridge at Twisp | 1931 | June 14, 1948 | Methow River | |
| Methow River Bridge | 1939 | June 14, 1948 | Methow River | |
| Methow River Bridge | 1939 | June 14, 1948 | Methow River | |
| Methow River Bridge | 1933 | June 14, 1948 | Methow River | |
| Pine Creek Bridge | 1918 | June 1, 1948 | Pine Creek | |
| Cle Elum River Bridge | 1929 | May 31, 1948 | Cle Elum River | |
| Centralia Power Canal Bridge | 1936 | Sep 24, 1947 | Centralia Power Canal | |
| Hoko River Bridge | Unknown | April 22, 1947 | Hoko River | Cause: Overloading—20-ton fully loaded logging truck attempted to cross 5-ton rated bridge.[19] |
| Washougal River Bridge | 1926 | Feb 6, 1947 | Washougal River | Cause: Fire—Fuel tanker truck collision weakened steel, followed by structural failure[11] |
| Mashel River Bridge | 1916 | Dec 11, 1946 | Mashel River | |
| St. Helens Bridge | Unknown | Dec 11, 1946 | Toutle River | |
| Rocky Creek Bridge | 1929 | Oct 25, 1945 | Rocky Creek | |
| Gallup Creek Bridge | Unknown | Oct 25, 1945 | Gallup Creek | |
| Cora Bridge | 1925 | Nov 12, 1943 | Cowlitz River | |
| Razorhone Creek (Lower) | Unknown | June 26, 1943 | Razorhone Creek | |
| Razorhone Creek (Upper) | Unknown | June 26, 1943 | Razorhone Creek | |
| Adna Bridge | 1932 | May 1, 1943 | Chehalis River | |
| Lindberg Over Crossing | 1933 | Mar 2, 1943 | C.M.St.R.&P. Rail Road. | |
| Long Lake Bridge | 1911 | Sep 26, 1942 | Spokane River | Cause: Vibration—Sheep herd crossing bridge[20] |
| Tacoma Narrows Bridge | 1940 | Nov 7, 1940 | Tacoma Narrows (Puget Sound) |
Cause: Wind/Design flaw—Aeroelastic fluttering (wind dynamics) leading to structural failure |
| Detillion Bridge | Unknown | May 24, 1939 | Spokane River | Cause: Collision—Tractor-trailer collision on deck[21] |
| Allen Street Bridge also called Kelso-Longview Bridge |
1906 | Jan 3, 1923 | Cowlitz River | Cause: Some combination of storm, collision, overloading. Deadliest Washington bridge disaster with at least 17 deaths.[22] |
| Wenatchee Avenue Bridge | c. 1894 | July 4, 1917 | Wenatchee River | Cause: Fire—Independence Day celebratory fireworks burned wooden deck[f] |
| Division Street Bridge | 1892 | Dec 18, 1915 | Spokane River | Cause: Collision or metal fatigue[g] |
| Columbia River Bridge, Brewster | 1927 | May 2, 1905 | Columbia River | [clarification needed] |
| Snoqualmie River Bridge | 1931 | April 17, 1905 | Snoqualmie River | [clarification needed] |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Failures from Holstine and Hobbs analysis of 1923–1998 WSDOT data; excludes demolition, removal, replacement[1]
- ^ Bridge failure data from WSDOT 1905–2009 list[4] unless noted.
- ^ Deck rebuilt over existing steel arch[11]
- ^ Some sources say a total of 27 bridges had to be replaced[12][13][14]
- ^ Holstine and Hobbs say 7 bridges lost, this apparently does not count losses on minor tributaries of the Methow.[18]
- ^ Rebuilt over existing steel structure[11]
- ^ Floods in 1894 carried part of an upstream railroad bridge into the Division Street bridge in 1894; metal fatigue, shoddy steel, and a design flaw were also cited by contemporary sources[23]
Citations
edit- ^ a b Holstine & Hobbs 2005, p. 52.
- ^ a b Holstine & Hobbs 2005, p. 58.
- ^ a b Mass 2013.
- ^ WSDOT 2009.
- ^ KING 2013.
- ^ Matsura c. 1911.
- ^ Chronicles of the Okanogan, Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle, February 10, 2011, p. 17 – via issuu.com
- ^ Olympia Daily Recorder, March 16, 1915
- ^ Holstine & Hobbs 2005, pp. 59–60.
- ^ Olympian 2001.
- ^ a b c d Holstine & Hobbs 2005, p. 56.
- ^ Girty 2009.
- ^ Fisher, Heiken & Hulen 1997.
- ^ Foxworthy & Hill 1982.
- ^ FEMA 2013.
- ^ Chow Chow Suspension Bridge, Spanning Quinault River, Taholah, Grays Harbor County, WA – via Library of Congress
- ^ Holstine & Hobbs 2005, p. 59.
- ^ Holstine & Hobbs 2005, p. 57.
- ^ Holstine & Hobbs 2005, p. 54.
- ^ Holstine & Hobbs 2005, p. 134.
- ^ Holstine & Hobbs 2005, p. 133.
- ^ Holstine & Hobbs 2005, p. 55.
- ^ Arksey 2006.
References
edit- Arksey, Laura (February 14, 2006), "Spokane's Division Street Bridge collapses on December 18, 1915", HistoryLink, Seattle: History Ink
- Foxworthy, Bruce LaVerne; Hill, Mary (1982), "Mudflows and floods", Volcanic eruptions of 1980 at Mount St. Helens: the first 100 days (Volume 1249 of Geological Survey professional paper), United States Geological Survey/Government Printing Office, pp. 61–65
- Fisher, Richard V.; Heiken, Grant; Hulen, Jeffrey B. (1997), Volcanoes: Crucibles of Change, Princeton University Press, ISBN 0-691-01213-X – via The New York Times Book Review
- Girty, G.H. (June 2009), "Mt. St. Helens: A Case Study" (PDF), Perilous Earth: Understanding Processes Behind Natural Disasters, ver. 1.0, Department of Geological Sciences, San Diego State University
- Holstine, Craig E.; Hobbs, Richard (2005), Spanning Washington: Historic Highway Bridges of the Evergreen State, Washington State University Press, ISBN 9780874222814
- Mass, Cliff (May 27, 2013), Collapsing Bridges: A Washington State Tradition!
- Matsura, Frank (c. 1911). "Omak Bridge Collapses". Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2016 – via Washington State University.
- "Broken bridges part of Washington history". Seattle Times. May 24, 2013.
- List of Washington State bridge failures (PDF), Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), c. 2009, archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-02-05 – via The Seattle Times
- "I-5 bridge collapses over Skagit River, no fatalities". Seattle: KING-TV. Associated Press. May 23, 2013. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
- "Fourth Avenue bridge: Bridge over rubbled water". The Olympian. 2001. Archived from the original on 2001-04-13.
- Flood insurance study: Yakima County, Washington (PDF), Federal Emergency Management Agency, October 1, 2013, pp. 14–15