Manette Bridge

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The Manette Bridge or the spans the Port Washington Narrows in Bremerton, Washington. It connects the community of Manette, Washington to downtown Bremerton. Although it is not part of a numbered state highway, it is one of four bridges specifically designated by state law to be maintained by the Washington Department of Transportation.^[1]

Before the bridge was opened the trip was made by ferry. Between 1916 and when the bridge opened in 1930, the Mosquito Fleet ferry Pioneer serviced the crossing between Bremerton and Manette for most of the time. Sometimes the Urania, a passenger-only ferry, filled in. If someone missed the last ferry, the only way back was a long trip around Dyes Inlet through Chico, Silverdale and Tracyton on mostly unimproved roads.

The bridge was originally opened in June 1930 as the Bremerton-Manette Bridge, a toll bridge constructed by the East Bremerton Improvement Club to assist families in commuting from the eastside of Bremerton, Washington to the westside. Locals went door to door selling stock, raising approximately $200,000 for the bridge.

Construction on the bridge began October 1929, by the Union Bridge Company of Portland, Oregon. The bridge was 1573 ft long, 80 ft high, and 2 lanes. The bridge opened on June 21, 1930, amid much celebration. Among those present was Jane Garrison, the 106 year old granddaughter of Chief Seattle.

Originally the bridge was a toll bridge, with tolls of $.25 per car, and $.05 per pedestrian. The Washington Toll Bridge Authority purchased the bridge in 1937. The tolls generated on the bridge enabled the Washington Toll Bridge Authority to recover the purchase price within a year and a half. Local character, George Baker, was a toll collector on the bridge from the day the bridge opened until the toll ended. He was said to always have an extra nickel for the young person who lost his toll money. The toll was lifted January 28, 1939. The last person to pay a toll on the bridge was J.C Bartholet, at 3:59 pm that day. The bridge was toll-free until the nearby Port Washington Narrows Bridge was opened. Nobody would pay a toll if the Manette Bridge remained toll-free so nearby, so tolls were reinstated from November 25, 1958 to October 24, 1972.

In 1949, the timber apporaches were replaced with concrete and steel components. The entire timber roadway deck was replaced around the same time. The main span thru truss and deck trusses are from the original 1930's bridge. The current bridge is 82 feet above the water, and has a horizontal clearance of 321 feet between the piers. Currently a project is in the works to update the bridge again, with construction starting spring of 2010. The Manette Bridge,which was first built in 1930, is currently listed as structurally deficient and functionally obsolete according to the WSDOT website on 8/2/07. [1]

[edit] References

Jensen, Erv (1988). Manette Pioneering. Manette History Club, pp. 5, 11-14. 88-060804.

Manette Bridge deemed Functionally Obsolete & to be replaced starting 2010. WSDOT website 8/2/07 http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR303/ManetteBridgeReplacement/