(panel 1)
The Goodpasture Bridge is a reminder of an earlier era, when covered bridges were common sights for motorists on Oregon's back roads. But this bridge is more than just a quaint remnant - it still an active and important transportation link for Lane County.
The Goodpasture Bridge was built during Oregon's covered bridge heyday in the 1930s. Like most Oregon covered bridges, Goodpasture is a truss bridge made of local timber. Its long, clear span over the river helps lower the risk of floodwaters damaging its supports.
Construction of the Goodpasture Bridge began in 1937, when a Lane County bridge crew surveyed the site and built the abutments. It continued the next spring, after the McKenzie's high waters subsided. Walt and Miller Sorensen supervised a crew of about 12 construction workers. The bridge was ready for traffic in fall of 1938.
For over 40 years, use from log trucks, farm vehicles, and residents of the growing neighborhood on the south side of the river took their toll on the bridge. By the 1980s it was badly in need of repair or replacement. But the picturesque bridge had earned many local supporters, who successfully lobbied to repair it rather than build a new bridge. Today, the Goodpasture Bridge is listed in the National Register
of Historic Places.
(panel 2)
Covered bridges were built in stages, starting with abutments on either end, followed by a scaffold called "falsework" that stretched between them.
The falsework provided support as the crews assembled and tensioned the trusses to create the span.
In an era when the McKenzie ran free, it was critical to complete the span and remove the falsework before winter and spring flood season.
If work continued too late, raging waters - often carrying fallen trees and other debris - would batter the falsework to pieces.
Because the Goodpasture Bridge had such a long span, Lane County brought in an extra crew in the summer of 1938 to make sure the bridge was complete before the floods.
Comments 0 comments