Coos Bay Bridge, Spanning Coos Bay on Oregon Coast Highway, North Bend, Coos County, OR

Significance: The Coos Bay Bridge is historically significant as one of the five Depression-era PWA bridges that completed the Oregon Coast Highway. The completion of these bridges marks 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 Coos Bay Bridge is also representative of the innovative designs by State Bridge Engineer Conde B. McCullough, a pioneer in American concrete bridge design. The McCullough Memorial Bridge includes early examples of concrete arches constructed using Considere-type hinges. The cantilever truss design also represents McCullough's attention to aesthetics, in that the upper and lower chords were curved to complete the arch motif of the bridge. The sway bracings of the truss are also curved to give motorists the impression of driving under a series of arches as they travel over the bridge.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-29
Survey number: HAER OR-46