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Columbia River, Sillusi Butte, Washington, and Interstate 82/395 Bridge.
Sillusi Butte and the Interstate 82/395 Bridge crossing the Columbia River, as seen from Umatilla, Oregon.
Image taken September 26, 2003.
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Interstate 82/395 Bridge ...
Crossing the Bridge ...
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Interstate 82/395 Bridge heading north.
Image taken September 29, 2006.
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Interstate 82/395 Bridge heading south.
Image taken October 2, 2006.
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Interstate 82/395 Bridge heading south.
Image taken October 2, 2006.
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Interstate 82/395 Bridge heading south.
Image taken October 2, 2006.
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Bridge History ...
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The construction of
McNary Dam influenced the choice of
Umatilla for a Columbia River crossing. Transportation systems changed when railroad lines and the old Wallula Highway were inundated by Lake Wallula, the reservoir behind the dam. In 1952, five bridges and eight ferries crossed the Columbia from the river's mouth at
Astoria, Oregon, to
Pasco, Washington. The bridge at
Umatilla
was proposed to connect the states of Washington and Oregon, passing through the rapidly developing, newly irrigated Columbia River areas, and connecting Umatilla, Oregon, with
Plymouth, Washington.
The 1954, construction on the "Columbia River Bridge at Umatilla" began. It was completed the following year. The "Interstate 82/395 Bridge" is located a short distance west of McNary Dam. The 3,308-feet-long bridge today carries southbound traffic on Washington's Interstate 82 across the river into Oregon. In 1984 a second bridge was completed adjacent and east of the 1955 bridge. Today the newer bridge carries all northbound traffic while the 1955 bridge carries southbound lanes.
The Plymouth, Washington end of the 1955 bridge consists of two 90-foot and five 100-foot steel riveted plate girder approach spans, and a five-span continuous truss segment crossing the river. The configuration of the truss spans is unusual to take advantage of a submerged island near the middle of the Columbia. This resulted in the use of two 600-foot spans connected by a shorter 120-foot span supported on the island's rock outcrop. This is the only bridge in Washington having two spans constructed using that method. Total cost of construction, land acquisition, engineering and bond interest was $10 million. In November 1974, tolls were removed, and Washington and Oregon assumed joint ownership of the bridge.
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Views ...
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Interstate 82/395 Bridge, from McNary Dam Overlook, Umatilla, Oregon.
Plymouth, Washington, is in the background and Umatilla, Oregon, in the foreground.
Image taken September 24, 2004.
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Interstate 82/395 Bridge with McNary Dam, from Plymouth Park, Plymouth, Washington.
Image taken May 24, 2005.
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Interstate 82/395 Bridge, etc.
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- Umatilla and Paterson Ferries ...
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Umatilla and Paterson Ferries ...
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The new bridge between
Umatilla, Oregon, and Plymouth, Washington, replaced two privately-owned ferries -- one between
Umatilla, Oregon, and
Plymouth, Washington, and the other between
Paterson, Washington, and just south of Irrigon, Oregon.
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"The privately owned ferry at Umatilla carried 178,576 vehicles in 1951. The high number of vehicles was due to the closure of U.S. Highway No. 730 above McNary Dam. The equipment for the ferry consisted of two unpowered steel barges that were propelled by light tug boats, the first with a capcity for 14 passenger autos, the second with a capacity for 11 passenger autos. The Paterson
ferry on the Washington shore was also privately owned, and carried 146,498 vehicles in 1951. The equipment for this ferry consisted of three unpowered barges, propelled by light tug boats, with capacities for 8 and 12 passenger autos. Both ferries operated without
a schedule according to traffic needs. The crossing time was about five minutes with a ten minute average wait. Both ferries went out of business when the Umatilla Bridge was built."
[Center for Columbia River History website, 2005]
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, October 19, 1805 ...
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