More Bridges

That Conde McCullough was a busy guy.  He certainly was true to his word when he designed Highway 101 and the bridges that are on it.  Don even learned a thing or two about drawbridges and their construction.

Mr. McCullough was a problem solver, and he knew that not every bridge could function the same as every other one.  He designed each one for its particular circumstance, which I am sure other engineers do, too, but it seems that his stand out, probably because they are functional and beautiful. We did not realize that we would be treated to several more bridges before we left Oregon.

In Florence we were treated to this beauty that is a bascule bridge, meaning it is hinged and opens up on the hinges . . . picture a cellar door that is hinged on the sides and opens from the middle.

The Umpqua River bridge below is a swing span bridge.  The section between the tall piers in the center actually swivels to a perpendicular, allowing boats to pass. Although we did not see it in action, we did see a bridge next to it swiveling as we drove by.  I thought it was pretty neat!

This railroad bridge has swiveled in the middle to allow for a boat to pass