Wind River Suspension Bridge, 1998 Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Carson, Washington

Satellite view of Bridge View Larger Map

USE:  Pedestrian

SPAN:  150'

TRAVEL WIDTH:  3'

TOWERS:  9' tall, tubular steel A-frame

ANCHORS:  14' x 1-3/8" spin-lock, grouted rock anchors

MAINLINES:  1-1/4", ASTM A 603, 7x19 Wire Rope

The Wind River Suspension Bridge at Carson, WA provides administrative access to the Shipperton Falls fishway for personnel of the the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.  Originally constructed in the 1930's by the Work Projects Administration, the fishway is a critical link for migrating salmon in the Wind River drainage, a tributary of the Columbia River.  The bridge was constructed in the mid-1950's, to supplement access that had previously been provided by an aerial tram.  It is a simple suspension bridge design, whereby the deck is supported directly by the mainlines and the towers serve only to elevate the handrail and fence cables.  At Sahale, we refer to this type of bridge as the "Indiana Jones" style.

Poorly designed at the outset, the bridge had declined over the years from lack of maintenance and the effects of environmental factors.  By the time Sahale was contacted for emergency consultation in 1997, the bridge was in a state of dangerous decay:  rock anchors had loosened, mainline cable had chaffed and broken wire strands, tower bases had separated from footings, and deck and fencing materials were broken, loose, and missing fasteners.

Sahale provided engineering services for a complete rebuild of the bridge, including new rock anchors, towers, tower footings, decking, and fencing.  In 1998, Sahale completed reconstruction of the Wind River Bridge and it was returned to service.   The photos on this page show Wind River Bridge under construction and bridge builder Keith Monohan.