Gorge Inn Suspension Bridge, Newhalem WA

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Tag placed on bridge by law enforcement after collapse of north bridge tower.

 

Bridge supported by only one mainline, buckled top chord sections at midspan. Note upriver mainline draped across bridge and collapsed tower in the distance.          Left side of bridge no longer supported by mainline.

 

View of buckled truss from shore.          

 

Surviving tower top; note rot on cross beam.          Upriver mainline draped across truss.

 

Collapsed tower leg and mainline after the fall.          Collapsed upriver mainline at mid-span; note broken floor beams and buckled truss.

 

Mike Stenger and Keith Monohan placing sill for temporary tower.          

 

Bolting the temporary tower in place.          Crane placing temporary tower; note leg of original tower still supporting downriver mainline.

 

View of bridge from top of surviving tower; temporary tower erected in distance.

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Tilting tower leg in place at the far side of span.          Another view of tilting 26' tall tower leg up alongside original tower.

 

Final assembly of temporary tower: hoisting top crossbeam in place. Original tower in foreground.

 

Su Thieda and Keith Monohan working from basket to install temporary suspenders.          Mike Stenger with gaff hook, ready to pull suspender strap under bridge.

 

Mainspan fully supported by temporary towers and mainlines, the downriver mainline is finally removed from the old tower top.

 

Angle fitting for attaching temporary mainline to existing anchor rods. Designed to facilitate later placement of original mainlines on new permanent towers.

 

Bridge centerline view after stabilization is complete.

 

Temporary tower top showing pipe saddle arrangement.

 

Closer view of temporary saddle.

 

Aerial view of stabilized bridge span.

 

Stabilized bridge showing temporary mainlines and suspenders.

 

Carroll Vogel and Filson at mid-span after completion of stabilization work.

 

Erecting original mainline onto new steel tower.

 

Returning original mainline to top of new steel tower; temporary tower in foreground.

 

Bridge Builder Joel Clement Grouting Tower Base.

 

Groutiing Complete.

 

Marco Ernandes and Keith Monohan (above) transferring suspenders from temporary mainline to original mainline.      Marco Ernandes reconnecting permanent suspenders.

 

Joel Clement (l) and Keith Monohan (r) walking the temporary mainlines.        Bridge Builder Russ Dalton.

 

Removing the temporary mainlines prior to repairing/straightening steel chord members in truss.

 

Removing temporary tower.       Keith Monohan installing floor beam, note bent and cut top chords behind him.

 

Damaged top chord removed.

 

Upriver top chord removed.

 

Centerline view after flame bending and straightening of top chords, and removal of several feet of the most damaged sections.

 

Replacement chord section welded into position.

 

Replacement chord section with jack and straps holding chord in alignment for welding.

 

Upriver chord section in place, downriver chord ready for repair.

 

Original cable saddle and mainline installed at top of new tower.

 

Nearly finished: Final straightening and installing fence.

 

Skagit River, Gorge Inn Suspension Bridge and the village of Newhalem, WA from the air.