Arch Bridge Closure

November 13, 2010 article, from The Oregonian, Southwest section:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/mywestlinn/2010/11/west_linnoregon_city_arch_bridge_update.html

Free shuttle service for bicyclists and pedestrians whose commutes were displaced by the closure began January 15 between West Linn and Oregon City. The shuttle service will run seven days a week. Schedules, stop locations and route details are available from TriMet.

History of the first bridge between West Linn and Oregon City:

The wooden suspension bridge was opened November 1, 1888, and carried power cables that in June of 1889 lit downtown Portland at night for the first time. It was replaced in 1922 by a more modern, steel and gunite highway bridge, designed and built under the supervision of Conde McCullough, famous bridge designer for the Oregon Department of Transportation. The current 'old' (1922) bridge will be undergoing restoration by ODOT in 2011-12.

Walkers make their own history on the bridge on first day of the closure
The Willamette Falls Heritage Area Coalition, ODOT, and the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde co-sponsored a bridge-closing ceremony for pedestrians on January 15, 2011, the first day of the closure.  Here's a photo that gives the flavor of a very wet and well-received event that drew more than 700 people to the center of the 1922 span for memories, drumming, fry bread and history displays. The coalition is working to help pull together popular consensus around the formation of a future National Heritage Area for the falls-area communities.

This photo from February 20 shows railings ascending the arches, as ODOT prepares for the next step in its work on the project.