John McLoughlin Bridge

Bridge spacing the Clackamas River in the U.S. state of Oregon

45°22′24″N 122°36′05″W / 45.37322°N 122.60143°W / 45.37322; -122.60143Carries

OR 99E (McLoughlin Boulevard)CrossesClackamas RiverLocaleOregon City to Gladstone, OregonMaintained byOregon DOTCharacteristicsDesignThrough tied-archTotal length720 ftLongest span240 ftHistoryOpened1933Location Map

The John McLoughlin Bridge is a tied-arch bridge that spans the Clackamas River between Oregon City and Gladstone, Oregon, in the northwest United States. It was designed by Conde McCullough, and named for Dr. John McLoughlin.

It is 720 ft (220 m) long, with a main span of 240 ft (73 m). The deck carries four lanes (two in each direction) of Oregon Route 99E, also known locally as McLoughlin Boulevard.

The bridge won the American Institute of Steel Construction's title of "Most Beautiful Steel Bridge" constructed in 1933. Originally painted black, it was painted "ODOT Green" soon after, the first time that specific color was used on a bridge.^[1]

Sources

^ Ross, Erin (6 May 2018). "Why Are Bridges Green? The Story Starts In Oregon". www.opb.org. Retrieved 8 May 2018.

Elegant Arches, Soaring Spans: C.B. McCulough, Oregon's Master Bridge Builder, Robert W. Hadlow, Oregon State University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-87071-534-8.