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Pasco-Kennewick Bridge (1922)
Encyclopedia
The Pasco-Kennewick Bridge or Benton-Franklin Inter-County Bridge, known locally as the Green Bridge, was a steel cantilever truss bridge
crossing the Columbia River
in central Washington, connecting the cities of Pasco
and Kennewick
. After it was replaced by the Cable Bridge
in 1978, the bridge was demolished in 1990.
system in which a single trip transported a maximum of six cars across the Columbia River. It was in fact the first bridge for vehicular traffic across the middle part of the Columbia River (only ferries and rail bridges were previously available). Originally planned in 1913 by B. B. Horrigan, funding was not secured until 1919, when Charles G. Huber of the Union Bridge Company
sold $49,000 worth of stock
to finance the project, despite the country being in the grips of the Post-World War I recession. It was the first bridge of that size to be financed entirely with stock sales. The bridge was operated as a toll bridge
for the first nine years; the tolls were removed once the initial construction costs ($480,000) had been repaid. It was also the first of three cantilever bridges built over the Columbia River in the 1920s.
The construction of the bridge was seen as a landmark in the development of the state's economy. The significance of the bridge is partly reflected in the beliefs and expectations of local and state residents who perceived the dedication as a history-making event, bringing together people from across the state; a gala affair that included speeches, car caravans, picnics, street dancing, and carnivals. As the Kennewick Courier-Reporter wrote, "The day the bridge was opened to traffic, a new era dawned for each community." The bridge was also an essential part of the old Inland Empire Highway system.
Not only did it transform the nickname "Twin Cities" into reality, but it was also a major crossing of the Columbia River, thereby making it an important part of the transcontinental Yellowstone Trail
, and marked the first time that eastern
and western
halves of the state cooperated in the construction of something that was beneficial to both.
The state of Washington purchased the bridge in 1931 and added it to the state highway system in 1933. Benton
and Franklin counties took ownership of the bridge in 1954, and then sold it to the cities of Pasco and Kennewick in 1968 for $1, which allowed the counties to begin planning the construction of the newer Cable Bridge.
to Aberdeen
. The Green Bridge carried US 12 until it's closure in 1978.
. As a result, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
came to an agreement with the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) and the Washington state historic preservation office such that if the state wanted to demolish the bridge, it would then be subject to a popular vote. In 1980, citizens of both Pasco and Kennewick voted in favor of its demolition, which then triggered a review by the FHWA to determine if any alternative uses could save the bridge from destruction. Preservationists submitted alternative plans to the FHWA, but the FHWA subsequently ruled that none of them were feasible or prudent. A lawsuit followed, with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
ruling in favor of the FHWA. The case was then appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
, whereupon the earlier ruling was overturned, with the order for the FHWA to conduct a more thorough review.
However, the FHWA still came to the same conclusion and the bridge was dismantled in March 1990, with most of the piers
removed by the end of 1991. One pier, as well as several wood and concrete footings portions several meters above the river bottom only visible while scuba diving
, remains and serves as a scenic lookout from which the newer bridge may be seen.
Cantilever bridge
A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using cantilevers, structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end. For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beams; however, large cantilever bridges designed to handle road or rail traffic use trusses built from...
crossing the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
in central Washington, connecting the cities of Pasco
Pasco, Washington
Pasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States.Pasco is one of three cities that make up the Tri-Cities region of the state of Washington...
and Kennewick
Kennewick, Washington
Kennewick is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, near the Hanford nuclear site. It is the most populous of the three cities collectively referred to as the Tri-Cities...
. After it was replaced by the Cable Bridge
Cable Bridge
The Cable Bridge, officially called the Ed Hendler Bridge and sometimes called the Intercity Bridge, spans the Columbia River between Pasco and Kennewick in southeastern Washington as State Route 397...
in 1978, the bridge was demolished in 1990.
Construction
It was completed in 1922 after only a year of construction, replacing an outmoded ferryFerry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
system in which a single trip transported a maximum of six cars across the Columbia River. It was in fact the first bridge for vehicular traffic across the middle part of the Columbia River (only ferries and rail bridges were previously available). Originally planned in 1913 by B. B. Horrigan, funding was not secured until 1919, when Charles G. Huber of the Union Bridge Company
Union Bridge Company
The Union Bridge Company was a bridge fabricator and contractor with works in Buffalo, New York, and Athens, Pennsylvania. The Union Bridge company was formed in 1884 as a merger of several other bridge-building firms. Partners included George S. Field of Buffalo, Edumund Hayes of Buffalo,...
sold $49,000 worth of stock
Stock
The capital stock of a business entity represents the original capital paid into or invested in the business by its founders. It serves as a security for the creditors of a business since it cannot be withdrawn to the detriment of the creditors...
to finance the project, despite the country being in the grips of the Post-World War I recession. It was the first bridge of that size to be financed entirely with stock sales. The bridge was operated as a toll bridge
Toll bridge
A toll bridge is a bridge over which traffic may pass upon payment of a toll, or fee.- History :The practice of collecting tolls on bridges probably harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large...
for the first nine years; the tolls were removed once the initial construction costs ($480,000) had been repaid. It was also the first of three cantilever bridges built over the Columbia River in the 1920s.
The construction of the bridge was seen as a landmark in the development of the state's economy. The significance of the bridge is partly reflected in the beliefs and expectations of local and state residents who perceived the dedication as a history-making event, bringing together people from across the state; a gala affair that included speeches, car caravans, picnics, street dancing, and carnivals. As the Kennewick Courier-Reporter wrote, "The day the bridge was opened to traffic, a new era dawned for each community." The bridge was also an essential part of the old Inland Empire Highway system.
Not only did it transform the nickname "Twin Cities" into reality, but it was also a major crossing of the Columbia River, thereby making it an important part of the transcontinental Yellowstone Trail
Yellowstone Trail
The Yellowstone Trail was the first transcontinental automobile highway through the upper tier of states in the United States. It ran from Massachusetts to Seattle. It was conceived by J.W. Parmley of Ipswich, South Dakota in 1912. Originally, Parmley and his business colleagues wanted a good road...
, and marked the first time that eastern
Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington is the portion of the U.S. state of Washington east of the Cascade Range. The region contains the city of Spokane , the Tri-Cities, the Columbia River and the Grand Coulee Dam, the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the fertile farmlands of the Yakima Valley and the...
and western
Western Washington
Western Washington is a region of the United States defined as that part of Washington west of the Cascade Mountains.It is known as being far wetter in climate than the eastern portion of the state, which...
halves of the state cooperated in the construction of something that was beneficial to both.
The state of Washington purchased the bridge in 1931 and added it to the state highway system in 1933. Benton
Benton County, Washington
Benton County is a county located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. The Columbia River makes up the north, south, and east boundaries of the county. In 2010, its population was 175,177. The county seat is Prosser, and its largest city is Kennewick...
and Franklin counties took ownership of the bridge in 1954, and then sold it to the cities of Pasco and Kennewick in 1968 for $1, which allowed the counties to begin planning the construction of the newer Cable Bridge.
Use
Four years after it's construction, the Green Bridge carried the newly formed US 410 between Kennewick and Pasco. In 1967 US 410 was decommissioned when US 12 was expanded from LewistonLewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city in and also the county seat of Nez Perce County in the Pacific Northwest state of Idaho. It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID - Clarkston, WA...
to Aberdeen
Aberdeen, Washington
Aberdeen is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States, founded by Samuel Benn in 1884. Aberdeen was incorporated on May 12, 1890. The city is the economic center of Grays Harbor County, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis...
. The Green Bridge carried US 12 until it's closure in 1978.
Demolition
After the completion of the Cable Bridge, bridge preservationists succeeded in placing the Pasco-Kennewick Bridge on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. As a result, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is an independent agency of the United States government that promotes the preservation, enhancement, and productive use of the nation's historic resources, and advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy.The goal of the...
came to an agreement with the Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
(FHWA) and the Washington state historic preservation office such that if the state wanted to demolish the bridge, it would then be subject to a popular vote. In 1980, citizens of both Pasco and Kennewick voted in favor of its demolition, which then triggered a review by the FHWA to determine if any alternative uses could save the bridge from destruction. Preservationists submitted alternative plans to the FHWA, but the FHWA subsequently ruled that none of them were feasible or prudent. A lawsuit followed, with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties of the state of Washington: Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln,...
ruling in favor of the FHWA. The case was then appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
, whereupon the earlier ruling was overturned, with the order for the FHWA to conduct a more thorough review.
However, the FHWA still came to the same conclusion and the bridge was dismantled in March 1990, with most of the piers
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
removed by the end of 1991. One pier, as well as several wood and concrete footings portions several meters above the river bottom only visible while scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
, remains and serves as a scenic lookout from which the newer bridge may be seen.
External links
- Benton Franklin Riverfront Trailway and Bridge Committee v. Lewis, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 701 F.2d 784