Get to know Portland's bridges: Broadway
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She hasn't always been red. Photo: Courtesy of the City of Portland
The Broadway Bridge is one of just a handful of surviving Rall-type bascule bridges left in the country — a rare drawbridge design that rolls back and lifts at the same time to allow waterway traffic to pass below — and remains the largest of its kind in the world.
Flashback: At the time it was built in 1913 by Polish engineer Ralph Modjeski, the Broadway Bridge was Portland's longest river crossing, at just over 1,600 feet. The Fremont Bridge surpassed that record six decades later.
- The bridge was vital in connecting the central east side of the city with downtown and the Pearl District, spurring surrounding construction in the years following.
- It wasn't always the "Golden Gate" red we see today. Originally painted black, the city of Portland invested $1 million to add color to its bridges in 1962.
By the numbers: It cost $1.6 million to construct the bridge, which sees roughly 30,000 vehicle crossings per day, on top of it serving a streetcar line and being a popular cycling route.
- Because the bridge's span is unusually long, and each leaf weighs more than 2,000 tons, it takes an average of 20 minutes for it to open.
- Openings happen about 25 times per month, largely to accommodate grain terminal ships.
What's next: Two big projects on both ends of the bridge are currently in the works and could alter the surrounding area significantly.
- On the west end, the Broadway Corridor Project aims to redevelop a long-vacant 34-acre site into a residential and commercial hub. Some plans, including constructing a 230-unit affordable housing building, are in motion while others have yet to be greenlit.
- To the east, the Albina Vision plan is still in concept mode. The Blazers and Albina Vision Trust partnered to transform the area surrounding Moda Center and the Oregon Convention Center into a vibrant entertainment neighborhood in the years to come.