Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge, Cantilever bridge in North Bend, United States.
The Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge is a cantilever bridge carrying U.S. Route 101 over Coos Bay between North Bend and Glasgow, Oregon. Its 793-foot main span gives 145 feet of clearance above the shipping channel, within a 1,708-foot steel cantilever section; concrete open-spandrel approach arches run to the ends, and the towers rise 280 feet above the water with curved Gothic-arch sway bracing. Pedestrian plazas with Art Moderne motifs and built-in benches mark both ends.
The bridge was completed in 1936 and replaced ferry services, becoming crucial to regional transportation development and connecting communities that previously relied on water crossings. Its architectural achievement earned recognition later when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Locals call it the Coos Bay Bridge, and North Bend uses its image widely in public relations material. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 5, 2005, and its designer, Conde B. McCullough, was honoured when it was renamed for him in 1947.
The bridge accommodates vehicle traffic with dedicated sidewalks for pedestrians, allowing safe passage on foot across the span. Views of the bay and surrounding landscape are visible from all points along the crossing, with clear sightlines for navigation.
The bridge's main towers were fabricated off-site and moved to the site in four sections, rising 280 feet above the water with curved sway bracing in a Gothic arch style. On December 4, 1986, the Swedish ship Elgaren struck the bottom of the center span when the tide ran three feet above normal and a ramp mechanism failed, closing the bridge for repairs.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,845 contributors worldwide.