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Crossing. Participants are taken by shuttle to the
Washington side, from where they run or walk to the Oregon side on a six-mile (9.7 km) route across the bridge. Motor traffic is allowed to use only one lane (of two lanes) and is advised to expect delays during the two-hour event. For the first time, during the 2018 event, the Oregon Department of Transportation announced that the bridge would be closed to motor traffic.
727:
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467:, ninety miles (140 km) upriver, then barged downstream where hydraulic jacks lifted them into place. The bridge opened to traffic on July 29, 1966, marking the completion of U.S. Route 101 and becoming the seventh major bridge built by Oregon in the 1950s–1960s; ferry service ended the night before. On August 27, 1966, Governors
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479:. The four-day ceremony was celebrated by 30,000 attendees who participated in parades, drives, and a marathon boat race from Portland to Astoria. The cost of the project was $ 24 million, equivalent to $ 172 million in 2023 dollars, and was paid for by tolls that were removed on December 24, 1993, more than two years early.
495:
The bridge is 21,474 feet (4 mi; 6,545 m) in length and carries one lane of traffic in each direction. The cantilever-span section, which is closest to the Oregon side, is 2,468 feet (752 m) long, and its main (central) span measures 1,233 feet (376 m). It was built to withstand
455:
purchased the ferry service in 1946. This ferry service did not operate during inclement weather and the half-hour travel time caused delays. In order to allow faster and more reliable crossings near the mouth of the river, a bridge was planned. The bridge was built jointly by the Oregon
Department
562:
Normally, only motor vehicles and bicycles are allowed on the bridge—not pedestrians. There is no sidewalk and the shoulders are too narrow for pedestrians adjacent to 55-mile-per-hour (89 km/h) traffic. However, one day a year—usually in
October—the bridge is host to the Great Columbia
553:
covered visual cracks, and nests obscured navigational lights used by ship traffic. The population of cormorants increased to 5,000 breeding pairs in 2020, prompting efforts by the Army Corps of
Engineers to scare the birds from the bridge and relocate them back to East Sand Island.
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Repainting the bridge was planned for May 2009 through 2011 and budgeted at $ 20 million, to be shared by the states of Oregon and
Washington. A four-year planned paint stripping and repainting project was planned for March 2012 through December 2016.
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150 mph (240 km/h) wind gusts and river water speeds of 9 mph (14 km/h). As of 2004, an average of 7,100 vehicles per day used the
Astoria–Megler Bridge. Designed by
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Construction on the structure began on
November 5, 1962, and the concrete piers were cast at Tongue Point, four miles (6.5 km) upriver. The steel structure was built in segments at
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Columbia River Gorge Bridge at
Astoria, Spanning Columbia River at Oregon Coast Highway (U.S. Route 101), Astoria, Clatsop County, OR
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402:. The bridge is four miles (6.5 km) in length, and was the final segment of U.S. Route 101 to be completed between
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to the bridge, where they began nesting. Their presence caused issues with bridge inspections, as bird droppings and
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534:. Since most of the northern portion of the bridge is over shallow, non-navigable water, it is low to the water.
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The south end has the former toll plaza, at the end of a 2,130-foot (650 m) inclined ramp which forms a
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Panorama of the bridge, taken from
Astoria, showing it reach across the Columbia towards Washington State.
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List of bridges documented by the
Historic American Engineering Record in Washington (state)
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1290:"Fixing the cormorant disaster on the Columbia: 'How could this have come out any worse?'"
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List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Oregon
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1389:"The Great Columbia Crossing 10K - Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce"
411:
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940:"Lewis & Clark's Columbia River – 200 Years Later: Astoria–Megler Bridge"
65:
52:
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Astoria & Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved on May 14, 2008.
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1055:"Destination Oregon: Construction and impact of the Astoria-Megler bridge"
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Astoria Bridge. Close up view of the through-truss section of the bridge.
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1213:. (Idaho). Associated Press (& photo). October 30, 1964. p. 16.
1091:(34). Washington State Department of Transportation: 19. August 20, 2009
1466:", 3 photos, 1 color transparency, 2 photo caption pages
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as a metaphor for dealing with his grief from the death of his mother.
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Transportation buildings and structures in Pacific County, Washington
965:
Spanning Washington: Historic Highway Bridges of the Evergreen State
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486:
427:
157:
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Transportation buildings and structures in Clatsop County, Oregon
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construction of the cantilever truss bridge was completed by the
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A view of the flat, continuous truss section of the bridge.
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A close up view of the through-truss section of the bridge.
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Historic American Engineering Record in Washington (state)
1402:
Bridge closure for Great Columbia Crossing: Daily Astorian
595:. It stands in for the doomed fictional Madison Bridge in
273:$ 24 million (equivalent to $ 172 million in 2023 dollars)
1160:"Two Governors Officiate At Astoria Bridge Dedication".
1117:. (Idaho). (AP wirephoto). December 10, 1965. p. 1.
571:
The bridge itself is featured prominently in the movies
772:
Multiple cargo ships with the bridge in the background.
1183:. Oregon Department of Transportation. Archived from
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Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System
1082:"Asset Management: Bridge Assessment Annual Report"
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967:. Washington State University Press. p. 100.
530:). The north end is an at-grade intersection with
37:Viewed from the Astoria side of the Columbia River
367:region of the United States that spans the lower
1337:"Cool Ship Watching Spots On the Lower Columbia"
1032:. Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 299.
475:of Washington dedicated the bridge by cutting a
235:Oregon and Washington transportation departments
1226:Nationalbridges.com. Retrieved on May 14, 2008.
609:most likely references the bridge in his song "
383:. Opened in 1966, it is the longest continuous
1621:Historic American Engineering Record in Oregon
451:side of the Columbia River began in 1926. The
1586:Continuous truss bridges in the United States
636:View of the bridge from Astoria neighborhood.
458:Washington State Department of Transportation
394:The bridge is 14 miles (23 km) from the
8:
893:
891:
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1591:Buildings and structures in Astoria, Oregon
963:Holstine, Craig E.; Hobbs, Richard (2005).
874:List of bridges on U.S. Route 101 in Oregon
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1263:"Astoria Megler Bridge Painting - Phase 2"
20:
1636:1966 establishments in Washington (state)
1616:Former toll bridges in Washington (state)
1129:"Astoria Bridge Over Columbia in Service"
708:A workman's view from high on the bridge.
934:
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1646:Cantilever bridges in the United States
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1224:NBI Structure Number: 07949C009 00241.
900:Structurae. Retrieved on July 5, 2015.
748:A cargo ship passing under the bridge.
447:Ferry service between Astoria and the
437:, a ferry built in 1924, replaced by
16:Bridge in Oregon and Washington, U.S.
7:
1475:oldoregon.com: Astoria–Megler Bridge
1460:Historic American Engineering Record
1288:Mapes, Lynda V. (January 21, 2024).
911:"National Bridge Inventory Database"
1470:funbeach.com: Astoria–Megler Bridge
1314:Oregon Department of Transportation
1010:The Coastal River Bridges of Oregon
760:Looking up from beneath the bridge.
599:'s 1979 made-for-TV disaster movie
453:Oregon Department of Transportation
129:Oregon Department of Transportation
1641:Steel bridges in the United States
1576:Road bridges in Washington (state)
1030:Historic Highway Bridges of Oregon
14:
1207:"Big bridge ends high over water"
1013:. Marquis Publishing. p. 12.
491:Looking west over Astoria in 1986
222:196 feet (60 m) at high tide
1530:
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1237:"Astoria–Megler Bridge Painting"
1181:"Oregon Coastal Highway Bridges"
1053:Jones, Dave (October 12, 2023).
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586:Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
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1566:Bridges over the Columbia River
1363:"passport2oregon.com: Astoria"
732:A view of the bridge from the
602:The Night the Bridge Fell Down
196:
1:
1611:Former toll bridges in Oregon
1606:1966 establishments in Oregon
1503:
1166:. August 28, 1966. p. 1.
720:Washington end of the bridge.
660:On the bridge, heading north.
648:On the bridge, heading north.
1028:; Dykman, Pieter T. (1989).
1448:GPX (secondary coordinates)
1667:
1512:Julia Butler Hansen Bridge
1137:. July 30, 1966. p. 3
421:
371:. It carries a section of
336:none (since December 1993)
243:November 5, 1962
175:21,474 feet (6,545 m)
118:Pacific County, Washington
1581:Bridges completed in 1966
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1443:GPX (primary coordinates)
1418:Map all coordinates using
1007:Vickers, Marques (2018).
543:double-crested cormorants
345:
296:August 27, 1966
258:August 27, 1966
30:
1462:(HAER) No. OR-50, "
1426:Download coordinates as:
1211:Lewiston Morning Tribune
1115:Lewiston Morning Tribune
859:United States portal
611:Should Have Known Better
1480:Great Columbia Crossing
1318:Oregon Coast Bike Route
509:American Bridge Company
379:, to Point Ellice near
281:July 29, 1966
191:1,233 feet (376 m)
1571:Road bridges in Oregon
1516:Wahkiakum County Ferry
993:June 11, 2008, at the
988:Astoria–Megler Bridge.
835:Engineering portal
492:
456:of Transportation and
444:
1527:Astoria–Megler Bridge
1438:GPX (all coordinates)
1369:on September 26, 2010
1243:on September 29, 2011
613:" off his 2015 album
541:In 2016, a colony of
528:Weehawken, New Jersey
490:
465:Vancouver, Washington
431:
353:Astoria–Megler Bridge
25:Astoria–Megler Bridge
1343:on December 23, 2007
1323:May 3, 2008, at the
1269:on December 14, 2012
1060:Central Oregon Daily
823:Transport portal
524:Lincoln Tunnel Helix
424:Astoria–Megler ferry
312:Astoria–Megler Ferry
183:28 feet (8.5 m)
616:Carrie & Lowell
498:William Adair Bugge
404:Olympia, Washington
62: /
1024:Smith, Dwight A.;
545:moved from nearby
505:DeLong Corporation
493:
445:
396:mouth of the river
381:Megler, Washington
240:Construction start
66:46.217°N 123.863°W
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1294:The Seattle Times
1134:Statesman Journal
1089:The Gray Notebook
847:Oregon portal
477:ceremonial ribbon
365:Pacific Northwest
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270:Construction cost
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1187:on July 16, 2012
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917:on March 5, 2016
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145:Characteristics
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1601:U.S. Route 101
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1411:External links
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574:Short Circuit
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520:spiral bridge
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469:Mark Hatfield
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434:Tourist No. 2
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400:Pacific Ocean
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389:North America
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324:Daily traffic
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385:truss bridge
361:truss bridge
352:
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188:Longest span
172:Total length
95:and bicycles
18:
1299:January 22,
1111:"Last link"
1095:January 22,
1066:January 22,
945:January 25,
597:Irwin Allen
592:The Goonies
558:Pedestrians
440:Tourist III
408:Los Angeles
355:is a steel
293:Inaugurated
92:US 101
85:2 lanes of
69: /
57:123°51′47″W
44:Coordinates
1560:Categories
1538:Downstream
880:References
449:Washington
422:See also:
412:California
357:cantilever
318:Statistics
300:1966-08-27
285:1966-07-29
262:1966-08-27
247:1962-11-05
154:cantilever
54:46°13′01″N
1491:Crossings
1373:April 20,
1347:April 20,
473:Dan Evans
136:ID number
1508:Upstream
1321:Archived
1141:June 23,
991:Archived
810:See also
359:through-
341:Location
308:Replaces
232:Designer
202:8 (main)
199:of spans
164:Material
156:through-
140:s0000548
1493:of the
1191:July 5,
921:July 5,
483:Details
443:in 1931
418:History
398:at the
363:in the
298: (
283: (
260: (
245: (
227:History
100:Crosses
82:Carries
1036:
971:
623:Images
511:, and
507:, the
406:, and
278:Opened
150:Design
120:, U.S.
110:Locale
1085:(PDF)
551:guano
375:from
180:Width
167:Steel
158:truss
1375:2008
1349:2008
1301:2024
1275:2011
1249:2011
1193:2015
1143:2018
1097:2024
1068:2024
1034:ISBN
969:ISBN
947:2013
923:2015
589:and
351:The
333:Toll
328:7100
1433:KML
526:in
387:in
212:171
197:No.
1562::
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