Thomas Creek Bridge, Deck truss bridge in Curry County, Oregon
Thomas Creek Bridge is a steel structure that spans a deep valley along Oregon's coastal Highway 101. The bridge connects both sides of the valley using a steel truss framework made up of several large spans.
The bridge was designed and built by engineer Ivan D. Merchant in 1961 using a Warren deck truss system. It was a major project to carry the coastal highway across this deep valley.
The name comes from Thomas Creek, the watercourse the structure crosses in Curry County. The bridge stands inside the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, a protected strip of the southern Oregon coast, so drivers on U.S. 101 pass through state parkland on both approaches.
The bridge carries U.S. Route 101 through the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, so there is no separate pedestrian access to the deck; visitors see it in passing from the highway. Pull-outs along this stretch of the coast road allow a stop to look down into the Thomas Creek valley.
The bridge rises approximately 345 feet (105 meters) above the creek and is one of the highest in Oregon. Its bold design made it possible to connect this previously inaccessible location.
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