[/caption] The Morrison Bridge was once a wooden truss swing span bridge that opened in 1887 and was the first Willamette River bridge in Portland and the longest bridge west of the Mississippi. The second Morrison Bridge was built in 1905 and wasn’t designed for automobiles so the bridge was again redesigned in 1958 in order to accommodate automobiles. The Morrison Bridge is a draw bridge and has three steel deck truss spans with one double-leaf bascule movable main span and two fixed side spans. the main span length is 284 feet with its total length at 760 feet and is 69 feet above the water line at its center length. Pedestrians and bicycles are allowed on the bridge and it serves as a major commuting tool for pedestrians. The two towers on the south side of the bridge resemble old fashioned airport control towers. There are several great views of the city if you are walking over the bridge. You have great views of downtown Portland or of old town Portland on the north side and the Lloyd district on the east side of the river.
Tag Archives: Morrison Bridge
Portland bridges, OR
[/caption] Portland is one of the World’s best bridge cities and the cities core is defined by one or more rivers crossed by bridges. Only a few other cities from around the world have as many spectacular bridges as Portland. It’s almost impossible to take a photo of downtown Portland without trying to include at least one of it’s bridges. However, it’s also hard to choose between them since they all are so spectacular and photogenic. This photo was taken just below the Burnside bridge with the Morrison in the distance. I was standing just north of the Burnside bridge and saw this great photo opportunity. The best viewing area is along the east side of the Willamette river along the esplanade that will take you past 8 bridges and provide you with access on either side of the river. However, there are several more bridges, from as far north as the Suavie Island bridge and as far south as the Oregon City bridge. All are worthy of a quick visit since they all have some historical value to them that only select cities can match. You can also watch as several Osprey and Hawks fly over the river and sometimes land on the arches or steal beams high atop the bridges.