Northport Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Columbia River Bridge at Northport
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 Location in Washington (state)
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Northport, Washington |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1946–1949 |
| Built by | State Dept. of Hwys |
| Architectural style | Steel Through truss |
| MPS | Bridges of Washington State MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000624 |
| Added to NRHP | May 24, 1995 |
The Northport Bridge is an important bridge that crosses the Columbia River near Northport, Washington. It's located very close to the border with Canada. This strong steel bridge is a special type called a cantilever through-truss bridge, which means it uses a clever design with parts sticking out (cantilevers) to support the main section.
The Northport Bridge was built to replace an older wooden bridge from 1897. It officially opened in 1951 and today helps cars travel along Washington State Route 25. You might notice it looks a bit like other bridges built around the same time, such as the Grand Coulee Bridge and the Kettle Falls Bridges.
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Building the Northport Bridge
The Northport Bridge is quite long, stretching about 1,542 feet (470 m) from one end to the other. The main part of the bridge has a central section that is 224 feet (68 m) long, supported by two cantilever sections, each about 140 feet (43 m) long. This makes the main span a total of 504 feet (154 m).
Design and Construction
The bridge was designed by George Stevens, who worked for the Washington State Highways department. The main part of the bridge was built by the Midland Structural Steel Company. Work on the bridge started in August 1946.
Challenges During Building
Building the bridge wasn't always easy. In 1948, big floods caused problems by washing away the ground around the south main support pier of the steel structure. Because of this, the original plans had to be changed. Instead of having a section of earth fill, five extra concrete approach spans were added. Workers even had to use underwater blasting to remove the damaged south pier. This change resulted in a long series of concrete approach spans, about 673 feet (205 m) long, on the south side of the bridge.
The Northport Bridge officially opened to traffic on June 13, 1951. The total cost to build this impressive structure was about $1,751,587.
Historic Recognition
Because of its importance and unique design, the Northport Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 24, 1995. This means it's recognized as a significant historical site in the United States.
