Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-04-15
ENGINEER SUBMITS
PLANS FOR BRIDGE
Location Center Street, Bridge
Steel and Estimated Cost
$l9O,5OO

State Engineer Lewis today submitted
plans to the Board of Viewers for the
inter-county bridge across the William
ette river at this city The petition Of
the joint county courts asked for plans
for a structure at the present Center
street site and no other site was con-
sidered in the present plans.
The bridge as designed consists of
four l6l foot camel back spans with 1888
foot vertical lift span and reinforced
concrete viaduct approach on the Polk
county end $50 feet in length. The
roadway is 26 feet in width with six
foot walks on either side. The total
cost of the structure is estimated at
$l9S500; $l45, 100 for the steel struc-
ture including foundations, and the re-
infOrced concrete viaduct approach at
$55,400. This provides for wooden
floor with two inch asphaltic wearing
surface and if concrete base six inches
thick is laid under the 2-inch asphaltic
top $4,562 should be added to the total
cost, making 100000.
In submitting the plans Mr.. Lewis
says:
"This type of bridge was selected
for the reason that borings for founda-
tions of piers showed blue mud and
sand formation ientirely unsuited for
concrete arches for the necessary
span, but which was Of sufficient bear
ing power to support steel structure
on concrete piers carried by wood pile
foundations.
Our Investigations have led us to be-
lieve that this structure can be com
pleted by December |, 1916, if there is
no delay in letting the contracts. It'll
should be understood that this estimate
has been made during a rising market
for materials, especially steel, which has
been advancing in price. Nevertheless,
it is our opinion that the relative small
tonnage involved in this bridge can be
obtained without any undue delay and
that the market is already becoming
more stable in price.
'T can assure you that L. W. Metz
ger, who has been largely responsible
for the details of this design, Joseph
Weare, who has assisted on the specifi-
cations and general studies, and the
other experts of this department who
have participated in the work, will be
glad TO render you any assistance with
in their power"
A Low Level Bridge.
The bridge as planned by the state
highway department is low level
bridge and in general outline greatly
resembles the railroad bridge on Union
street The board of viewers state in
their communication submitting the
plans TO the county courts that they
have consulted government engineers as
to the other locations for a bridge on
Marion street, Chemeketa street and on
Court street On all Of these sites the
government engineers would Require
that the proposed plans be submitted to
them before they were accepted AS to
Marion street the government engineers
would not consider this plan as it is so
close to the railroad bridge that 1T
would be a hindrance to navigation on
the river.
The viewers also recommended against
concrete bridge and stated that they
had made borings on the other streets
and that they had found the river bed
too unstable to support a heavy con
crete structure and accordingly no
plans for concrete bridge had been
ordered prepared. O.,
The board of viewers which met with
the county court this afternoon was
giving the matter serious consideration
r,tt .al,l.I,. t,lyo tho matter nm