Trouble on Stark Street Bridge
Looking to relax at Dabney Park? Or perhaps take a scenic drive along the Historic Columbia River Highway? Unfortunately, you might hit a roadblock.
The Stark Street Bridge crosses the Sandy River just east of Troutdale, not far from the Mt. Hood main campus. Opened in 1915 after the previous wooden bridge collapsed, the bridge is still standing strong.
But the same thing can’t be said about one of the supporting stone walls that has partially collapsed, and the bridge has been completely shut down, indefinitely.
Announcing the closure effective Sept. 17, Multnomah County officials said that engineers were dispatched to assess the damage. The county is urging people to use alternative routes, meantime (either Historic U.S. Highway 30 near downtown Troutdale and Glen Otto Park, or on Southeast Lusteg Road near Dodge Park and the city of Sandy).
The supporting wall that collapsed, on the north end of the bridge, has been an issue for the past few months after a vehicle incident in early June left it severely damaged. A temporary barrier was placed in front of the wall after the incident. Since then, the wall has continued to deteriorate until the bridge was deemed unsafe to cross.
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