Lowell Covered Bridge by aussiedi
Location:
From Interstate 5 take Highway 58 east to Lowell. Alternately, from Unity follow Jasper-Lowell Road about 3 miles to Highway 58. Lowell is on the south side of Dexter Lake.
Background:
When Amos Hyland settled on the Middle Fork of the Willamette River in 1874, he plotted a small townsite and named it after his birthplace of Lowell, Maine.
Hyland operated a ferry across the Willamette near the present site of the Lowell Bridge until Nels Roney built the first bridge at Lowell in 1907. Roney was paid $6,295 for the 210-foot span.
A truck mishap in the old Lowell Bridge in the early 1940s knocked the truss out of alignment. The Roney-built bridge was replaced at a cost of $25,473 in 1945.
Two years later it was housed. In 1953, the whole bridge was raised six feet and the roadway rebuilt in anticipation of the flooding produced by Dexter Dam. The engineers’ estimates were correct, and water has never risen closer than 2 feet from the bottom of the bridge.
Until 1981, some of the heaviest truck traffic in Oregon passed through the Lowell Bridge. It was closed that year when a modern concrete span was built paralleling the old wooden one. Prior to the closure, a dump truck passing through the bridge with its bed raised extensively damaged the span.
Lane County replaced broken lateral roof braces and portal boards, only to close the structure several weeks later when it was bypassed.
Western Federal Lands Highway Division, Lane County, Oregon Department of Transportation and the United States Forest Service are entering into an agreement to create an interpretive center for the Lowell Covered Bridge. This project will include restoration and rehabilitation of the bridge, as well as creating a parking area with bathrooms, developing interpretive features and signing. The total cost of the project is expected to be $1.2 million.
A PS
the above new features have been installed and its a lot easier to pull off the road and visit the bridge.. The interpretive center in the bridge is a very informative place to visit…
Comments
beautiful capture dear Di, lovely reflections and history.x
Thankyou very much dear Catherine..glad you enjoyed the history lesson..lol
Di x
– aussiedi
Such a beautiful covered bridge, well worth preserving! My, how costs have risen though when you think of the original cost compared to the cost of the future plans! Well caught, Di!
It is a beautiful bridge Dot..one of 52 here in Oregon..Im added more info to the bridge history..the work they talked about doing has been completed.The yellow light mid bridge ispart of a large interpretive center inside the bridge..It used to be a hard place to pull off at but now it has off street parking and toilets.
Di
– aussiedi
Superb capture Di, clean, crisp and spot on!….Tony
Thankyou very much Tony..appreciate your visit
Di
– aussiedi
Beautiful covered bridge and capture!!
Thankyou very much Carol .appreciate your comment
Di
– aussiedi
Beautiful capture, love the bridge & awesome reflections!
Thankyou very much Paula..this is one of 52 we have here in Oregon and I have shot them all.although on 35mm film,, so Im retracing my footsteps and adding them to digital.
Di
– aussiedi
What a beautiful capture of this beautiful image..so clear and gorgeous..love it Di!!
Sherri:):)
Thankyou very much dear Sherri..appreciate your great comment and the fave
Di xx
– aussiedi
Fantastic Capture.. Beautiful Image
Hi Maggie.many thanks for the great comment and the fave
Di
– aussiedi
Excellent!!!
Thankyou very much HC for the comment
Di
– aussiedi
Beautiful capture and scene
Many thanks Joy,,hey Joy I will be in Melbourne Mar 16th thru March 23rd
Di
– aussiedi
Stunning, great reflection
Many thanks for the comment’
Di
– aussiedi