Dent Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dent Bridge |
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2007
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| Crosses | Dworshak Reservoir |
| Locale | Clearwater County, Idaho north of Orofino |
| Named for | Charles & Katherine Dent |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 1,550 feet (472 m) |
| Longest span | 1,050 feet (320 m) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| Construction end | 1971, 54 years ago |
| Construction cost | $7,848,950 |
The Dent Bridge is a suspension bridge located in the northwest United States. You can find it in Clearwater County, Idaho, just north of Orofino. This impressive bridge stretches over what is now the Dworshak Reservoir.
It was finished in 1971 and cost about $7.8 million to build. The main part of the bridge is 1,050 feet (320 meters) long. The entire bridge measures 1,550 feet (472 meters) from one end to the other.
Contents
Why Was the Dent Bridge Built?
The Dent Bridge was built as part of a big project. This project included building the Dworshak Dam in the early 1970s. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers managed the construction.
Connecting Communities Over Water
Before the dam was built, the area had a smaller bridge over the Clearwater River. When the Dworshak Dam was completed, the river flooded. This created the large Dworshak Reservoir. The new Dent Bridge was needed to help people get across this new body of water.
Without the bridge, it would have been very hard to travel. Vehicle access from Ahsahka to the small town of Elk River would have been blocked. The old roads would have been underwater.
Solving a Big Travel Problem
The engineers thought carefully about how to connect the towns. Building a new road all the way around the 53-mile (85 km) long reservoir would have been very expensive. It would also have been difficult to build through the rocky land. Plus, it would have made travel much longer and harder for everyone.
So, building a bridge was the best solution. They chose a spot that was good for building the bridge. This spot also had easy road access on both sides.
Who Was the Dent Bridge Named After?
The bridge gets its name from Charles and Katherine Dent. They owned land on the western side of where the bridge now stands. They lived there in 1895. The small settlement of Dent was removed before the area was flooded by the reservoir.
