This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/5BC.2ACE/1045.2 Message Board Post: -- Columbia River Bridge at Umatilla: Located just west of McNary Dam, it carries southbound traffic on Washington's Interstate 82 across the river into Oregon. Constructed in 1954-55, the bridge replaced ferries at Umatilla and Paterson to the west. Completed in 1955, the bridge is 3,308 feet long. The Washington end of the bridge consists of two 90-foot and five 100-foot steel riveted plate girder approach spans. The significant engineering feature is the five-span continuous truss segment crossing the river. The configuration of the truss spans is unusual to take advantage of a submerged island near the middle of the Columbia. This resulted in the use of two 600-foot spans connected by a shorter 120-foot span supported on the island's rock outcrop. This is the only bridge in Washington having two spans constructed using that method. Total cost of construction, land acquisition, engineering and bond interest was $10 million. In November 1974, tolls were removed, and Washington and Oregon assumed joint ownership of the bridge. A second bridge was built adjacent and east of the bridge in 1984. The newer bridge now carries all northbound traffic while the 1955 bridge carries southbound lanes.