Dent Bridge, Suspension bridge in Clearwater County, Idaho, US
Dent Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the Dworshak Reservoir, connecting Elk River and Orofino across the North Fork of the Clearwater River. The structure uses steel cables and towers to hold up the roadway, allowing traffic to cross what would otherwise require a long drive around the water.
The original crossing at this location was submerged when the Dworshak Reservoir was created, forcing the construction of a new bridge in the 1970s. This project brought modern infrastructure to a remote region that had been divided by the creation of the dam.
The bridge name honors Charles and Katherine Dent, who owned the western land portion in 1895 before the settlement was relocated due to reservoir flooding.
The bridge provides drivers with a direct route across the water, saving them from long detours around the reservoir. For visitors exploring the area, it serves as a key passage through this rural landscape in northern Idaho.
This structure was long considered the longest bridge in Idaho and stands as a landmark of how infrastructure was adapted to a newly created landscape. It represents an unusual solution to connecting communities on either side of a reservoir that had not existed before.
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