Crosses Columbia River Replaces Ferry Total length 488 m Location East Wenatchee Body of water Columbia River | Longest span 520 feet (160 m) Opened 1908 Clearance below 26 m Bridge type Cantilever bridge | |
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Locale East Wenatchee, Washington / West Wenatchee, Washington Maintained by Wenatchee Reclamation District, State of Washington Design Pin-connected cantilever through truss Similar Senator George Sellar Bri, Rock Island Railroad, Lewis and Clark Bridge, Interstate Bridge, Astoria–Megler Bridge | ||
The Columbia River Bridge at Wenatchee, Washington, also known as the Old Wenatchee Bridge, was built by the Washington Bridge Company in 1908, primarily as a means to carry irrigation water pipelines across the Columbia River. It was the first road bridge over the Columbia south of Canada. The bridge is a pin-connected cantilever truss, 1,600 feet (490 m) long, with one 200-foot (61 m) Pratt truss between two 160-foot (49 m) cantilever arms, with 240-foot (73 m) side arms and a 60 feet (18 m) girder span. The bridge was purchased by the Washington highway department for $182,000 for highway use. As originally built, the bridge carried a 20.5-foot (6.2 m) wide timber roadway, with additional ability to carry a street railway. However, the east approach to the bridge was built at a 6% grade, limiting its potential.
Map of Columbia River Bridge, Wenatchee, WA, USA
The bridge was replaced in 1950 by the Senator George Sellar Bridge. The next year the Wenatchee Reclamation District bought the bridge for $1.00, moving the pipes from outside the truss to within. The bridge was opened to foot traffic. In 2007 concerns were raised about the bridge's ability to sustain foot traffic. Repairs were made in 2010.
The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 16, 1982.