Van Buren Street Bridge

The Van Buren Street Bridge is a steel truss structure spanning the Willamette River in Corvallis, measuring about 700 feet in length. It uses a combination of bolted and riveted connections throughout its framework.

The bridge was completed in 1913 by the Coast Bridge Company of Portland as the first crossing over the Willamette River in Corvallis. This project represented an important step forward in connecting the growing communities on either side.

The bridge has linked communities across the Willamette River for generations, serving as a familiar landmark for local traffic. It remains a modest piece of how people here have crossed and connected with each other.

The bridge carries traffic on Oregon Route 34 with a roadway about 18 feet wide, requiring careful driving for larger vehicles. Pedestrians and cyclists should stay alert to traffic and use available edges of the structure.

This bridge was Oregon's only highway bridge with a movable swing span mechanism designed to allow boats to pass underneath. The swinging capability was a clever engineering choice that served both river traffic and road transport.

Location: Oregon

Official opening: 1913

GPS coordinates: 44.56550,-123.25700

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:08