Historic Hood River
Out with the Old, In with the New
8-1-2022
Notes
We’ve seen a few other views of the replacement of the 1919 Columbia River Highway bridge over the Hood River with the 1982 bridge which stands today. This view really highlights the change in aesthetic from the arched and ornamented style of the 1910s to the austere, utilitarian design of the 1980s. Photo courtesy of ODOT.
L. E.
Why do arches seem more relaxing and peaceful to our eye?
Thankfully the hills in the background are not straight and utilitarian. That would make a boring view.
Arlen L Sheldrake
many times history is sad
starboard
Sure wish we as a society would’ve had the foresight to retain the old bridge as part of the Historic Highway for bicycle and pedestrian use.
kmb
The new bridge we see in the foreground, looks too narrow for the six lanes that cross the river today. Did they twin this bridge later, or is this the complete structure that is there today? I would have driven over the bridge a few times before the 1982 bridge was in place, but I have no recollection of this.
starboard
kmh, just to be clear, this the State St. bridge, not the freeway bridges.
starboard
kmh, just to be clear, this is the State St. bridge, not the freeway bridges.
nels
Some of us tried to work with ODOT to preserve the old bridge as a walking/fishing/biking nonmotorized bridge. Would have been a wonderful place to stroll and view the Hood River at it’s mouth.
They were very dismissive and declined on the basis of who would maintain it. It would have been a wonderful connetion to 35 and walking and biking safely.
ODOT has it’s own value standards that I think they might be short sighted about at times.
kmb
@starboard…thanks, I should have realized that wasn’t the Interstate crossing which is further down towards the mouth, where it enters the Columbia.
nels
Does anyonerecall the state engineer that designed this style of bridge that has been replicated throughout the state, especially the coast? I think there is a book about himandhisdistinctive bridges.
Arlen L Sheldrake
Nels…..you are right about ODOT at least in past years…another example is the blasting out the mitchel point tunnels…..that are now being replaced….at least we killed the mount hood freeway……and put MAX in a tunnel under the west hills. so some successes……
starboard
Nels, that would be Conde McCullough, though he didn’t design all of them, he kinda set the standard. At the time of demolition, it was all about liability. ODOT wanted nothing to do with it. I also was on the bandwagon to save, but it wasn’t in the cards at that time.
starboard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conde_McCullough
nels
You, Nancy Moller, me…we should have united and gathered more souls.
Barbara parsons
Lovely view of that farm across the river, a dear everyday view from our town, particularly from Mr. Patton’s algebra classroom at HRHS. In my mind I called it "the toy farm" because, viewed from so far away, it resembled an HO train landscape.