Albion River Bridge
{{Short description|Bridge in California}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|cs1-dates=ly|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox bridge
|bridge_name=Albion River Bridge
|image=Albion River Bridge.jpg
|image_size=240
|image_caption=The Albion River Bridge, looking northwards from Albion, California
|official_name=
|carries={{jct|state=CA|CA|1}}
|crosses=Albion River
|locale=Albion, Mendocino County, California, U.S.
|maint=California Department of Transportation
|id=CA 10-136, BH 11122
|designer=
|design=wooden deck truss bridge
|material=wood, with a steel center truss
|spans=
|mainspan={{convert|40|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|length={{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|begin=
|complete=1944
|coordinates = {{coord|39.2266|-123.7691|region:US-CA_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
}}
The Albion River Bridge is a wooden deck truss bridge crossing the Albion River in Mendocino County, California. It is the only remaining wooden bridge on California State Route 1;{{citation|url=http://www.mendocinocoast.com/Chamber_VisitorGde.pdf |title=Welcome to Mendocino County |publisher=Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce |year=2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091014132033/http://www.mendocinocoast.com/Chamber_VisitorGde.pdf |archive-date=2009-10-14 }}. dramatic views of the bridge are visible from the nearby town of Albion, California.{{citation|url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/05/04/navarro.coast/|publisher=CNN|title=All quiet on the Navarro Coast|first=Susan C.|last=Kim|date=May 4, 2008}}. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in July 2017.
Predecessors
File:Bridge across the Albion River, looking Southeast, Mendocino County LCCN2002717162.jpg
The Albion River has been crossed by a bridge since 1861, when a state franchise was granted to the Albion Bridge Company (renewed in 1863 to the Albion River Bridge Company).{{citation|title=Index to the laws of California, 1850-1893|publisher=Bancroft-Whitney Company|year=1894|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HcQ3AAAAIAAJ&q=%22albion+river+bridge%22&pg=PA250}}. However, until the present bridge was built in 1944, the crossing was low, and could be reached only by treacherous grades up and down the bluffs on either side of the river.{{citation|title=Early Mendocino Coast|series=Images of America|first=Katy M.|last=Tahja|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|year=2008|isbn=978-0-7385-5946-9|page=54}}.
Construction and specifications
The present span was opened in 1944. Because of World War II concrete and steel shortages, it was built of salvaged wood treated with a copper azole preservative. It includes a steel center truss that was also salvaged, possibly from an older bridge in Oregon,[http://www.bridgerailings.org/Albion/Albion_top.htm Albion Bridge], Scenic Bridge Railings, retrieved 2010-08-22. supported by concrete towers.
It is {{convert|970|ft|m}} long and its deck is {{convert|26|ft|m}} wide.[http://bridgehunter.com/ca/mendocino/100136/ Albion River Bridge], Historical Bridges of the U.S., retrieved 2010-08-21.{{citation|title=Wood Towers Feature of Albion Span|journal=The Timberman|volume=46|issue=1|year=1944|page=88}}.[http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?ID=s0031168 Albion River Bridge], Structurae, retrieved 2010-08-22. As of 2000, it carries approximately 3,200 vehicles per day.
Proposed replacement
In 2009, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) proposed to replace the bridge and the nearby bridge over Salmon Creek to the south. The timbers of the existing bridge remain in good condition, but the central steel truss has been corroded and needs replacement, and the bridge deck does not meet modern safety standards for its width and rail design, rendering it functionally obsolete. The planned replacement bridge would feature a wider deck with separate pedestrian walkways.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090509044715/http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist1/d1projects/albion_salmon/ Salmon Creek/Albion River Bridge Replacement], California Department of Transportation, retrieved 2010-08-21.{{citation|title=Historic coast bridges marked for replacement|journal=Mendocino Beacon|date=May 14, 2009|first=Frank|last=Hartzell}}.
An open house to show residents the plans for a new bridge was held in 2014, with the start of construction estimated for 2018.{{citation|url=http://www.mendocinobeacon.com/article/ZZ/20140403/NEWS/140408572|newspaper=Mendocino Beacon|title=Public can review Albion, Salmon Creek bridge replacement plans|date=April 3, 2014|first=Frank|last=Hartzell}}.
Caltrans has estimated that a replacement bridge could be in place by 2021. However, in 2015, Albion residents opposed to replacing the bridge filed to have it listed in the National Register of Historic Places, which could potentially slow any replacement.{{citation|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/21/us/aging-bridge-in-california-needs-all-the-support-it-can-get.html|title=Aging Bridge in California Needs All the Support It Can Get|first=Carol|last=Pogash|date=March 20, 2015|newspaper=The New York Times}}. The bridge was added to the National Register on July 31, 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/weekly-list-2017-national-register-of-historic-places.pdf |title=Weekly list of actions taken on properties: 7/28/2017 through 8/3/2017 |date=August 4, 2017 |work=National Register of Historic Places Program: Weekly List|publisher=National Park Service |access-date=2017-08-09}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Commons category}}
{{National Register of Historic Places in California}}
Category:Bridges completed in 1944
Category:Wooden bridges in California
Category:Truss bridges in the United States
Category:Bridges in Mendocino County, California
Category:California State Route 1
Category:1944 establishments in California
Category:Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in California
Category:National Register of Historic Places in Mendocino County, California