The Ross Island Bridge is a cantilever truss bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. It carries U.S. Route 26 (Mount Hood Highway) across the river between southwest and southeast Portland. Although it looks like a deck arch bridge, it is the only cantilever deck truss bridge in Oregon.
The bridge is named for its location close to Ross Island, an island in the Willamette River which measures about one-and-a-half by one miles. The bridge is about 800 feet (250 m) north of the island and does not connect with, nor does it provide access to Ross Island.
The bridge was part of the unprecedented period of bridge building in Portland during the 1920s. It was opened on December 21, 1926 at a cost of $1.9 million. The bridge was designed by famed engineer Gustav Lindenthal.
There is a pedestrian walkway on the north side of the bridge, with no barrier between the sidewalk and the westbound right lane.
During the Great Depression, the bank of the Willamette near the Ross Island Bridge became the site of a Hooverville.
In 1976 ownership was transferred from Multnomah County to the Oregon Department of Transportation. In 2000-2001 the bridge underwent a $12.5 million renovation in which the deck was replaced, the railings were replaced and upgraded, and the drainage system and lighting were improved. During this renovation, lead paint was discovered, causing some delays and cost overruns.
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