Goodpasture Bridge, Covered bridge over McKenzie River in Lane County, Oregon, US.
The Goodpasture Bridge is a wooden covered bridge spanning the McKenzie River with ten Gothic-style louvered windows along its sides. It uses a wooden Howe truss construction method, which provides structural support for crossing the river at this location.
Built in 1938 for $13,154 by Lane County to the design of the Oregon State Highway Department, with A.C. Striker as county bridge superintendent, the span was named for pioneer farmer Benjamin Franklin Goodpasture, who had settled near the site. Traffic weakened the structure over time; in 1987 the county spent $750,000 to restore it rather than bypass it with a concrete span. A 2010 federal grant of $2 million allowed its derated load limit to be raised from 15 to 40 short tons.
This bridge represents Oregon's tradition of covered bridge construction, with Lane County preserving more of these structures than anywhere else west of the Mississippi River. The name honors Benjamin Franklin Goodpasture, a pioneer settler whose family established roots in this area.
The bridge is open to both vehicle and foot traffic, but drivers should reduce speed when crossing because of the narrow opening. Visitors should be especially cautious during spring flood season when water levels in the river can rise significantly.
The first of 17 commemorative coins issued by Lane County from 2005, at two per year through 2013, honoured the Goodpasture Bridge; sales income helps maintain the county's historic bridges. In 2010 the county won a $2 million federal transportation grant to repair the bridge and raise its derated load limit from 15 to 40 short tons from 2012.
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