Astoria, OR

The Astoria-Megler Bridge towers over the western end of Astoria. For some, just the thought of crossing the bridge causes a knot to form in their stomach and heart to race. For others, the opportunity to cross the bridge is something to delight in - being out on the river and taking in the unparalleled view. Either way, the bridge is an icon that resonates with those who have experienced it. Beautiful no matter the weather, the bridge is glorious on a clear, sunny day and has an air of mystery when shrouded by fog.

Formally dedicated on August 27, 1966, the bridge stretches 4.1 miles from Astoria, Oregon, across the mouth of the Columbia River, to Point Ellice, Washington. Its construction was an impressive feat. The bridge's main span is 1,232 feet in length, the longest "continuous truss" in the nation.

North and South traffic across the mouth of the Columbia River was a problem for many years. In 1921 a scheduled ferry service from Astoria, to Megler on the Washington side, was established. The operation of the ferry system was taken over by the State of Oregon in 1946, with operational control being assigned to the State Highway Department.

For many years, the idea of a bridge across the Lower Columbia River simmered in people's thoughts, and in 1961, Senator Dan Theil (of Astoria) successfully headed a crusade for the bridge, "a bridge," critics said, "to nowhere." On August 6, 1962, Oregon's Governor, Mark O. Hatfield, turned the first shovel of dirt on the river bank in Astoria marking the official start of the project. Actual construction work began on November 5, 1962.

The Astoria approach utilizes pre-stressed concrete beam spans, set on concrete piers, located to avoid overloading the slide-prone Astoria hills. The approach ramp curves counter-clockwise through a full 360 degrees, climbing almost 200 feet above mean low water.

The bridge is designed to withstand some of the toughest attacks of nature, wind gusts of 150 miles per hour from the fierce Pacific storms that occasionally batter the coast still leave the bridge with a safety factor. The concrete piers are built with an eye toward the river flood speed of nine miles per hour when whole trees sometime are swept along by the raging water.

It didn't take long for the bridge to prove its detractors wrong. The critics of the "Bridge to Nowhere" wondered out loud who would want to take a bridge from a small town to an empty shore. The answer came quickly: plenty of people. In the last five months of 1966, the bridge carried about 240,000 vehicles, the state's projected figure for all of 1967. By 1993, more than 1.6 million vehicles a year were crossing the "Bridge to Nowhere." On December 24, 1993, more than two years early, the bonds were paid off and the toll removed.