- Morrison Bridge
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Morrison Bridge 
Carries motor vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists Crosses Willamette River Locale Portland, Oregon Maintained by Multnomah County ID number 02758 Design double-leaf "Chicago style" bascule Total length 760 feet (236.1 m) Width 90 feet (27.4 m) Longest span 284 feet Clearance below 69 feet closed Opened May 24, 1958 (Replaced
1887 and 1905 bridges)Coordinates 45°31′04″N 122°40′11″W / 45.51790°N 122.66963°WCoordinates: 45°31′04″N 122°40′11″W / 45.51790°N 122.66963°W The Morrison Bridge is a bascule bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon.
The original Morrison Bridge was a wooden truss swing span bridge completed on April 12, 1887 as the first Willamette River bridge in Portland and the longest bridge west of the Mississippi River. It was first a toll bridge (rates: horse drawn rig - US$0.15, team of horses - $0.20, pedestrian - $0.05) but went toll free in 1895.[1] The second Morrison was another swing bridge that was built in 1905. It was not designed for automobiles and the 1958 replacement was long overdue.
The present bridge was built by Multnomah County. It was completed on May 24, 1958 at a cost of $12.9 million. In 1961, Interstate 5 and Interstate 84 ramps were added. In 2011, the steel grating on the bascule deck was scheduled to be replaced with fiber-reinforced polymer panels to provide better traction for vehicles.[2] However, due to environmental issues with the contractor, the work will not be completed until 2012. Access for bicycles and pedestrians is being improved in a $1.9 million project which began construction in March 2009.[3] Multnomah County estimates a major seismic upgrade around 2020.
The bridge is the largest mechanical device in Oregon.[4] 36 ft. tall gears drive 940-ton counterweights located inside each of the piers. The 69 ft. clearance is sufficient for most river traffic, requiring bridge openings only about 30 times a month. It currently carries 50,000 vehicles daily in six lanes. The canted windows of the control tower give the distinctive look of air traffic control towers. It is named after John L. Morrison, a Scottish immigrant who built the first home on Morrison Street. The current bridge does not connect to Morrison Street at its west end because the second bridge was left in operation while the latest version was built.
In 1987 the Morrison Bridge became the first bridge illuminated by the Willamette Light Brigade. In 2007 the original 16 colored floodlamps illuminating the concrete piers were replaced by energy efficient and computer controlled LEDs.[5] Millions of colors may be selected for each of eight zones of the piers.[6] Static and animated patterns may be requested for a fee which ranges from $100 per night to $1200 per month.[7][8]
See also
References
- ^ Wood, Sharon; Wortman, Ed (2006). The Portland Bridge Book (3rd Edition). Urban Adventure Press. pp. 53–60. ISBN 0-9787365-1-6.
- ^ Rose, Joseph (June 10, 2011). "Work on Morrison Bridge's slippery surface begins Monday". The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/06/work_on_morrison_bridges_slipp.html0. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- ^ Hannah-Jones, Nikole (March 26, 2009). "Morrison Bridge path construction starts today". The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/03/morrison_bridge_path_construct.html. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
- ^ Hamilton, Don (May 25, 2001). "Bright lights, bridge city". Portland Tribune. http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=3934. Retrieved 2006-11-22.
- ^ Green, Susan (February 14, 2007). "Morrison Bridge will get its lights back". The Oregonian. pp. B2.
- ^ "Morrison Bridge Pier Light Application". Willamette Light Brigade. http://www.lightthebridges.org/pdfs/partnerapp.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
- ^ Margaret Haberman (July 17, 2009). "Got a favorite color? You can shine it on the Morrison Bridge—for a fee". The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/07/gotta_favorite_color_you_can_s.html. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
- ^ "Coloring the Morrison Bridge". City of Portland. http://www.portlandonline.com/river/index.cfm?a=256169&c=39767. Retrieved 2009-11-23.[dead link]
External links
Bridges in the metropolitan area of Portland, Oregon Across the Willamette River
(north to south)- St. Johns Bridge
- Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge 5.1
- Fremont Bridge
- Broadway Bridge
- Steel Bridge
- Burnside Bridge
- Morrison Bridge
- Hawthorne Bridge
- Marquam Bridge
- Caruthers Bridge (under construction)
- Ross Island Bridge
- Sellwood Bridge
- Lake Oswego Railroad Bridge
- Abernethy Bridge
- Oregon City Bridge
- Boone Bridge
Across the Columbia River
(west to east)miscellaneous - Blue Bridge (Reed College campus)
- Gibbs Street Pedestrian Bridge (under construction, across I-5)
- Main Street Bridge (MAX in Hillsboro)
- Oregon Slough Railroad Bridge (North Portland Harbor)
- Sauvie Island Bridge (Multnomah Channel)
- Vista Bridge (Goose Hollow)
Crossings of the Willamette River Upstream
Hawthorne BridgeMorrison Bridge Downstream
Burnside BridgeCategories:- Bridges in Portland, Oregon
- Bridges completed in 1958
- Swing bridges in the United States
- Bridges completed in 1887
- Bascule bridges
- Bridges over the Willamette River
- Road bridges in Oregon
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