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Sauvie Island Bridge
*County completes repairs on Sauvie Island Bridge - legal weight limits restored.* Sauvie Island Bridge was designed by the Oregon State Highway Commission and built by the Gilpin Construction Co. The bridge opened December 30, 1950, retiring the Sauvie Island Ferry. Jurisdiction for the bridge was transferred to Multnomah County on August 9, 1951. The bridge is 1,198 feet long and consists of two different types of construction. The first six spans from the west side total 272 feet and are reinforced concrete deck girders set on concrete piers. The next three spans are steel riveted trusses each 200 feet long set on concrete piers. The first and third spans of this set are deck trusses and the main span is a through-truss. The next five spans totaling 326 feet are reinforced concrete deck girders designed as two continuous units. The bridge has a roadway width of 26 feet and carries two lanes of traffic with sidewalks on each side. The overall width of the structure is 35 feet over most of its length. Recently, at a cost of $600,000, the County widened the bridge's southwest on-ramp to improve access from Highway 30. Rural appeal draws crowd. About 1.5 million people, most riding in four-wheeled vehicles, visited the island during 1996 summer months. There are few full-time residents. About 500 permanent houses stand on Sauvie Island. The multitudes are drawn by kayak access, beaches, fishing, recreational vehicle parks, bed and breakfast houses, Bybee-Howell Park--site of the oldest house in Multnomah County (1856), pumpkin patches, produce stands, horseback riding, flat bicycle grades, walking paths and wild creatures found in the island's wildlife refuge. One of six refuges along the Willamette River, Sauvie Island supports 12,000 acres of state-owned habitat for wintering waterfowl, swans, herons, sandhill cranes, bald eagles and 250 other species. Sauvie Island Bridge also serves many commercial conveyances. During the harvest season, hundreds of truckloads of corn, cucumbers and other produce cross the bridge to the mainland from the island’s farms. Commercial traffic also includes trucks and employees commuting to an industrial area on the island's southern tip. Bridge users include:
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