Sellwood Bridge
connects SW Marquam/Riverside on the west, SE Tacoma on the east
The Sellwood, along with the St Johns, are the least-seen Willamette River Bridges to the casual visitor, mostly due to their distance. The Sellwood Bridge is about 5 miles south of downtown, and is more useful for connecting the far-reaches of the metro area than for the city itself. The two-lane truss bridge opened in 1925, at the time the county must have thought that many lanes would suffice. Unfortunately for modern use it does not, and the bridge is overused beyond its capacity. The capacity of 32 tons was lowered to 10 in 2004 after bridge inspectors found numerous cracks in the span. Now busses and trucks can’t use the bridge and the question posed is: will the Sellwood be repaired or rebuilt? Enjoy the current bridge and the great views from it while you can, because it’s not going to last.
USERS: Automotive traffic, pedestrians, bicycles
OWNER: Multnomah County
BICYCLE INFO: The Sellwood is a crucial link in the Willamette River loop, but on-bridge facilities suck. You are required to walk your bike across on the very narrow sidewalk.
TECHNICAL INFO: Total length 1,971 ft (601m) with four continuous spans, two center span length 300 ft (92m) each, two outside span length 246 ft (75m), clearance 75 ft (23m) above river
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