Fremont Bridge, Spanning Willamette River, carrying Interstate 405, Portland, Multnomah County, OR

NEW SEARCH

HELP

ABOUT COLLECTION

Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey

1 drawings
18 b&w photos
43 data pages
2 photo caption pages
2 color transparencies

How to obtain copies of this item

TITLE:
Fremont Bridge, Spanning Willamette River, carrying Interstate 405, Portland, Multnomah County, OR

CALL NUMBER:
HAER OR-104

REPRODUCTION NUMBER:
[See Call Number]

MEDIUM:
Measured Drawing(s): 1 (24 x 36 in.)
Photo(s): 18 (4 x 5)
Data Page(s): 42 plus cover page
Photo Caption Page(s): 2
Color Transparencies: 2

DATE:
Documentation compiled after 1968.

CREATOR:
Historic American Engineering Record, creator

NOTE:
Survey number HAER OR-104

Unprocessed field note material exists for this structure (N878).

Building/structure dates: 1973

Significance: Opened in 1973, and the epitome of high-tech, the graceful Fremont Bridge is still both the longest bridge (main span) in Oregon and the longest tied arch bridge in the world. Its 6,000-ton center span lift was the heaviest anywhere, accomplished with techniques and technology never used before at that scale. This erection method was selected because it had the least impact on navigation and the lowest cost. Innovative features include a weight-saving orthotropic deck and welded box girder and welded arch rib sections, with the arch ribs fabricated from high-strength quenched and tempered (T-1) steel. Fremont is one of only about eighty steel tied arch bridges in the U.S. Of the lower Willamette River bridges in Portland, Fremont is the only arch, with its unusual three-span tied arch design inspired partly by European engineers as a solution to site conditions. Fremont's final form was the result of unusual collaboration between the Oregon Department of Transportation; Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade & Douglas (Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc.), the largest transportation design consulting firm in the U.S.; Portland Art Commission; and, because it was financed for the national system of interstate and defense highways, the Federal Highway Administration.

SUBJECTS:
OREGON--Multnomah County--Portland

COLLECTION:
Historic American Engineering Record (Library of Congress)

REPOSITORY:
Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

DIGID:
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.or0473

CONTENTS:
Photograph caption(s):
1. Topographical view of Portland's industrial area, with the Fremont Bridge in center.
2. Topographical view of Portland's industrial area, looking northwest.
3. General perspective view of the Fremont Bridge, looking southeast.
4. General perspective view of the Fremont Bridge, looking northeast.
5. General perspective view of the Fremont Bridge, looking east.
6. General perspective view of the Fremont Bridge, looking southeast.
7. South elevation of the Fremont Bridge, looking north.
8. Approach view, looking west.
9. Detail view of substructure, looking east.
10. Detail view of substructure, looking east.
11. Detail view of main tied arch span, looking north.
12. Detail view of the Fremont Bridge.
13. Detail view through arch span.
14. Detail view of trusswork.
15. Detail view of hanger.
16. Detail view bearing assembly.
17. Detail view bearing assemblies, west end of bridge.
18. Detail view of bearing assembly.
19. General view of Fremont Bridge, looking northeast.
20. Elevation view of Fremont Bridge, looking north.

CONTROL #:
OR0473

NEW SEARCH HELP ABOUT COLLECTION