Pass Creek Covered Bridge

Pass Creek Covered Bridge is one of only a few Oregon covered bridges within city boundaries.

The Pass Creek Covered Bridge was built in 1925 with the Howe truss design. 

Basically unchanged from its original appearance, with a 61 foot span, the one-lane bridge is 19.5 feet wide and about 30 feet high at the gabled peak.The structure is relatively void of architectural detail, with no openings for lighting.  Added later were white trim boards that outlined the faceted semi-circular portal arches. 

It is probable the covered wagon bridge at this location was either rebuilt or replaced in 1925, displacing the earlier span.  Holes in the hand-hewn lower chords indicate that it may have been salvaged from another bridge.

Because of structural deficiencies, the bridge was closed to traffic in 1981, causing the handful of local residents surrounding the span to maneuver under a cramped railroad trestle to get to their homes. 

In the fall of 1987, the roof and siding of the covered bridge were removed, all the pieces numbered, and a 90-ton crane lifted the trusses and moved them 400 feet downstream where the structure was reassembled the following year as a pedestrian bridge.

A concrete bridge was built in the original location to replace the covered bridge.

In 2014 the city received a grant from ODOT to basically preserve the bridge until further funding became available for a full restoration.  The project included replacing the cedar shingle roof with galvanized metal, fumigating, repairing dry rot and bug damage, and strengthening of some of the beams in order to keep the bridge open to pedestrians. 

Upon completion of the project the consulting engineers discovered that the original bottom chord was rotten as well as the helper beam reinforcement that was added in 1988.

 In a letter to the city from the consulting engineers stating, “It is our professional opinion that due to the severe decay in the southeast corner of the bridge, the bridge cannot safely support any pedestrian traffic.  Therefore, we must recommend that this bridge be closed immediately until it is further reinforced, rehabilitated, or replaced.  The city is looking for funding to restore the bridge to pedestrian traffic.