Umpqua River Bridge, Spanning Umpqua River at Oregon Coast Highway, Reedsport, Douglas County, OR

Significance: The Umpqua River Bridge is historically significant as one of the five Depression-era PWA bridges that connected the Oregon Coast Highway. The completion of these bridges is considered the dividing line between the period of relative isolation and dependence on sea transportation of Oregon's southern coastal region to its modern era of land transportation and connection with the hinterland. The Umpqua River Bridge is the only one of the five PWA coastal bridges to be constructed with a swing span. It is the longest swing span constructed in Oregon, and one of only a few left in the state. The bridge is also representative of the innovative designs by State Bridge Engineer Conde B. McCullough. McCullough was a pioneer in American concrete bridge design. The Umpqua River Bridge includes early examples of McCullough's use of tied, or bowstring arches, and concrete arches constructed using Considere-type hinges.

Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-28

Survey number: HAER OR-45

vehicular bridges concrete bridges swing bridges douglas county umpqua bridge umpqua river bridge umpqua river oregon coast highway oregon coast highway reedsport douglas bennett historic american engineering record james norman kelly e young photo ultra high resolution high resolution infrastructure library of congress

1969 - 1980

Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov/

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