Richard Odabashian Bridge

The Richard Odabashian Bridge, formerly the Olds Station Bridge, is a box girder bridge crossing the Columbia River in Wenatchee, Washington, United States. It carries four lanes of U.S. Route 2 (US 2) and US 97, as well as a bicycle and pedestrian pathway that is part of the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail. The 1,400-foot (430 m) bridge opened in 1975 and is located north of downtown Wenatchee at Olds Station.

Richard Odabashian Bridge
Coordinates47°28′16″N 120°19′01″W / 47.47111°N 120.31694°W / 47.47111; -120.31694
Carries US 2 / US 97
CrossesColumbia River
LocaleWenatchee, Washington, US
Other name(s)Olds Station Bridge
OwnerWashington State Department of Transportation
Maintained byWashington State Department of Transportation
National Bridge Inventory0009102A0000000
Characteristics
DesignBox girder bridge
MaterialConcrete
Total length1,400 feet (430 m)[1]
Width80 feet (24 m)[2]
No. of spans3
History
Construction start1971
OpenedSeptember 5, 1975
Location
Map

History

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A bridge crossing the Columbia River in Sunnyslope north of Wenatchee had been proposed since the 1960s to bypass a section of US 2 through downtown Wenatchee that crossed the Columbia River on the Senator George Sellar Bridge.[3] Early proposals favored a bridge at either Walla Walla Point in northern Wenatchee or Olds Station on the north side of the Wenatchee River; the latter option won out. Construction began in 1971 and was completed in 1975, including a narrow bicycle/pedestrian trail and two highway lanes, which were later expanded to four. The bridge was dedicated by 300 people, including local mayors and state highway officials, on September 5, 1975.[4] US 2 was re-routed onto the bridge and the old alignment later became State Route 285.[citation needed]

The bridge was renamed in May 1991 for Richard Odabashian, a state transportation commissioner from Cashmere.[3] The pedestrian trail on the bridge was originally 5 feet (1.5 m) wide until it was expanded to 10 feet (3.0 m) in 2001, to eliminate a major bottleneck on the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail and allow bicycles to pass.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Bridge and Structures Office (November 2017). "Bridge List, M23-09.08" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. p. 83. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  2. ^ Federal Highway Administration. "Bridge Reports: US 2 over Columbia River". National Bridge Inventory. Bridge Reports. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Barta, Linda (May 13, 2016). "Old news: 25 years ago, 1991". The Wenatchee World.
  4. ^ Kraft, Dave (September 7, 1975). "New bridge hailed as tribute to cooperation". The Wenatchee World. p. 1.
  5. ^ Smith, Laurie (November 5, 2001). "More room to run, ride or roll: Pedestrian crossing widened across Odabashian Bridge". The Wenatchee World. p. A1.