From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge 9.6 is BNSF Railway's bridge across the Columbia River, between Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. The bridge has a swing span, which pivots on its base to allow for the passage of larger ships. The bridge carries 2 railroad tracks, which are used by BNSF, Union Pacific, and Amtrak.
[edit] History
In 1905, Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway (SP&S), in cooperation with Great Northern Railway (GN), proposed a crossing of the Columbia River. They consulted Mr. Ralph Modjeski, a famous bridge builder of the time. Modjeski presented a plan to build a bridge in a direct line with the Willamette Drawbridge (which was also being planned by the railroads), and across the Columbia to rail facilities at Vancouver. On November 14, 1905, the SP&S board approved Modjeski's recommendation. Plans for the bridge were submitted to the War Department, and eventually approved in February, 1906. The original plans did not include a drawspan, but industry was coming in fast on the Columbia, so one was added to the plans.
The first work was performed on February 8, 1906, when work crews began framing the caissons. Work was performed by the American Bridge Company of New York. Construction took approximately 26 months. The bridge opened to traffic on November 17, 1908. This completed the SP&S route between Portland and Pasco.
