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NEWS RELEASE <br /> June 17, 1 86 <br /> Contact: Dave Thompson, 687-5594 <br /> Capt. L.L. Price, U.S. Marine Corps, 687-6428 <br /> ' FOR IMMEDI TE RELEASE <br /> VOLUNTEERS WELCOME WANDERING BRIDGE <br /> The Ric ardson Bridge is soon due to hit the road again. Built in 1912 <br /> by the Coa t Bridge Co. of Portland, it was originally installed on the <br /> I', I!, Crooked Ri er near Prineville. Then in 1956, it was moved to the Siuslaw <br /> ' River near Camp Lane to connect Stagecoach Road and Richardson Upriver Road <br /> with the 0 egon State Highway 126. This summer the well-seasoned bridge will <br /> move yet a ain, this time to serve cyclists and pedestrians crossing the <br /> Amazon Cha nel near Quaker Street (east of Bailey Hill Road) in west Eugene. <br /> The National Historic Register has identified the bridge as the oldest <br /> ~I remainin teel truss brid a with riveted connectio s i , <br /> n 'n Ore on and one of <br /> 9 9 9 <br /> very few a amples of this type of architecture in the United States. Age has <br /> taken its oll, however. No longer can legally loaded log trucks safely use <br /> the bridg and alternate routes are time consuming and difficult to use. <br /> In 198 ,federal and state agencies undertook a study of alternatives to <br /> i <br /> ' protect t e bridge as a historic resource and to provide service to local <br /> residents and timber operations. They recommended that a new location be <br /> found for the historic bridge, and that a new bridge be built that meets <br /> Federal Highway specifications. <br /> I <br /> So Lan County advertised nationally for proposals on new uses and <br /> I <br /> ~ locations for the bridge. The City of Eugene proposed to. use the structure <br /> as a bicy,le/pedestrian bridge on the Amazon Channel (as part of the Fern <br /> <br /> '!r° more <br /> <br />