Van Buren Street Bridge, Steel truss bridge in Corvallis, United States.
The Van Buren Street Bridge is a steel truss swing bridge crossing the Willamette River in Corvallis, Oregon, carrying Oregon Route 34. The roadway is narrow, and the open steel framework rises visibly above the deck on both sides.
The bridge was completed in 1913 by the Coast Bridge Company of Portland, making it the first fixed crossing over the Willamette River at Corvallis. Parts of the structure were later repaired and reinforced, but the original form has largely been kept.
The Van Buren Street Bridge is a familiar crossing for people moving between the two sides of Corvallis every day. Locals know it mostly as a working bridge, part of the ordinary flow of the city rather than a destination in itself.
The roadway is narrow, so drivers of large vehicles should take extra care when crossing. Pedestrians and cyclists can also use the bridge, but should stay aware of passing traffic at all times.
The swing span made this the only highway bridge in Oregon with a movable section of this type, which set it apart from every other crossing in the state. The rotating mechanism allowed river vessels to pass through even as road traffic on the bridge grew over the years.
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