Broadway Bridge (Portland)

Infobox_Bridge

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bridge_name=Broadway Bridge
carries=vehicles and pedestrians
crosses=Willamette River
locale=Portland, Oregon
maint=Multnomah County
id=06757
design=Double leaf Rall-type bascule
mainspan=304 feet (92.7 m)
length=1,742 (531 m)
width=70 feet
clearance=13 feet (3.9 m)
below=70 ft closed
open=April 22, 1913
lat=45.531916
long=-122.67387

The Broadway Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. It was the first bascule bridge built in Portland and the longest in the world at the time of its completion. [cite book | first = Dwight A. | last= Smith| title = Historic Highway Bridges of Oregon | publisher = Oregon Historical Society Press | date = 1989 | pages = 116 | id = ISBN 0-87595-205-4 ] It is the longest Rall type bascule bridge still in existence.

The bridge was opened on April 22, 1913 at a cost of $1.6 million. Because it was to be the world's largest bascule bridge, there was competition between the patent holders of the Strauss, Scherzer, and Rall type bridges. [cite book | last= Wood | first= Sharon | title = The Portland Bridge Book | publisher = Oregon Historical Society | date = 2001| id= ISBN 0-87595-211-9 ] The Rall type was selected for the Broadway Bridge because of cost, [cite web | publisher = Oregon Department of Transportation | | title = Willamette River (Broadway) Bridge | format = Word | url = http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/GEOENVIRONMENTAL/docs/Historic_Bridge/Willamette_Broadway_Bridge.doc | accessdate = 2006-11-06 ] but the more complicated rolling lift mechanisms of the Scherzer and Rall types eventually lost favor to the simpler fixed trunnion bascules such as the Chicago and Strauss.

The bridge carries two lanes of vehicle traffic in each direction and has an convert|11|ft|m|abbr=on. wide sidewalk on each end. As of 2001 the bridge carried 27,000 vehicles per day and opens for river traffic around 25 times per month. It is also one of the main bridges for bicycle traffic crossing the Willamette in Portland, with over 2,000 daily bicycle crossings. [cite web|url=http://bikeportland.org/2005/09/20/bridge-bike-traffic-jumps-15-in-05/|title=BikePortland.org: bridge bike traffic up in '05|accessdate=2006-04-09] Its color is "Golden Gate" red.

Because it is such a complicated bridge, there have been frequent repairs to the structure and mechanics of the bridge. In 1948 the concrete deck was replaced with steel grating. During 1982 access for bicyclists was improved by an $18,000 signal and sidewalk upgrade. In order to improve access and reduce energy costs, the sidewalks and lighting were replaced in 2000-2001. [cite web | title = Broadway Lighting and Sidewalk Project | publisher = Multnomah County | url = http://www2.co.multnomah.or.us/jsp/Public/EntryPoint?ct=122856048e817010VgnVCM5051560ac614acRCRD | accessdate = 2006-11-09] The Lovejoy Viaduct was removed in 1999 as part of the $10 million construction of the shorter Lovejoy Ramp that opened in September 2001. A $28 million renovation began in February of 2003. Included in this was the replacement of steel grating with a Fiber-reinforced polymer composite material called DuraSpan, made by Martin Marietta Materials. [cite press release | title = Martin Marietta Composites Completes Landmark Installation Of Broadway Bridge Deck | publisher = Martin Marietta Materials | date = August 20, 2004| url = http://www.martinmarietta.com/Corporate/features.asp?yr=2004&ID=59 | accessdate = 2006-11-09] The renovation was completed in February 2005.

In popular culture

The Broadway Bridge is prominently featured in the climax of the 2008 film "Untraceable". [http://www.katu.com/news/entertainment/14237257.html KATU review: The Broadway Bridge stars in "Untraceable"] ] In the film, FBI agent Jennifer Marsh (Diane Lane) becomes stranded on the east end of the bridge after an online serial killer hacks into her car's computer. [http://youtube.com/watch?v=JEvy_v32lWE YouTube video: "On the Broadway Bridge"] ] The scene was filmed both on the actual bridge as well as on a sound stage.

Gallery

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HAER description

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USS "Lake Erie" passes through the Broadway Bridge

ee also

* List of crossings of the Willamette River

References

External links

* [http://www2.co.multnomah.or.us/jsp/Public/EntryPoint?ch=2df4f35a679b7010VgnVCM1000003bc614acRCRD&ct=542856048e817010VgnVCM9787450ac614acRCRD Multnomah County: Broadway Bridge]
* [http://www.lightthebridges.org/legacy-broadway.htm Willamette Light Brigade]
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Crossings navbox
structure = Crossings
place = Willamette River
bridge = Broadway Bridge
bridge signs =
upstream = Steel Bridge
upstream signs =
downstream = Fremont Bridge
downstream signs =