From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Sam Hill Memorial Bridge, also known as the Biggs Rapids Bridge, is a steel truss bridge that carries U.S. Highway 97 across the Columbia River between Biggs Junction, Oregon in Sherman County and Maryhill, Washington in Klickitat County. It was named in honor of the the early bridge proponent and builder of the nearby Maryhill Museum, Sam Hill.
The bridge was opened on November 1, 1962 after two years of construction.[1] It was initially a toll bridge, but the tolls were removed in 1975.
The bridge is currently closed until Memorial Day (2008) in order to complete repairs to the deck. Originally the Washington State Department of Transportation planned to replace the entire deck in 2010, but accelerated the project due to rapidly deteriorating roadway.[2] The total cost of the project is $16 million, split evenly between Oregon and Washington, and includes replacing the deck with a concrete, installing new railing, improving the drainage systems, and replacing the existing lighting.[3] The new deck is expected to last 25 years.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Holstine, Craig E. (2005). Spanning Washington : Historic Highway Bridges of the Evergreen State. Washington State University Press, 107-108. ISBN 0-87422-281-8.
- ^ Preusch, Matthew. "Biggs project causes big detour", The Oregonian, January 1, 2007, p. B1. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
- ^ US 97 - Biggs Rapids - Sam Hill Bridge Deck Replacement. WSDOT. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
- ^ Lester, David. "New year will start with detour at US 97 bridge at Biggs", Yakima Herald-Republic, December 9, 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
This article about a building or structure in Oregon is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
