Sam Hill Memorial Bridge

{{Infobox Bridge

|bridge_name=Biggs Rapids Bridge

|image=Sam Hill Memorial Bridge.jpg

|image_size=270

|caption=Looking east from Washington in 2014

|official_name=Sam Hill Memorial Bridge

|carries={{jct|country=USA|US|97}}

|crosses=Columbia River

|locale=Biggs Junction, Oregon
Maryhill, Washington

|traffic= 5,100

|maint=Washington State Department of Transportation{{cite journal |date=August 20, 2009 |title=Asset Management: Bridge Assessment Annual Report |page=20 |url=https://wsdot.wa.gov/eesc/bridge/preservation/GrayNotebookJun09-Bridges.pdf |journal=The Gray Notebook |issue=34 |publisher=Washington State Department of Transportation |accessdate=December 26, 2023}}

|design=steel through-truss

|mainspan=

|length={{convert|2567|ft|abbr=on}}

|width={{convert|26|ft|abbr=on}}

|below={{convert|75|ft|abbr=on}}

|open=November 1, 1962

|coordinates = {{coord|45.67600|-120.83607|display=inline,title}}

}}

The Sam Hill Memorial Bridge, also known as the Biggs Rapids Bridge, is a steel truss bridge in the northwest United States that carries U.S. Route 97 (US 97) across the Columbia River between Biggs Junction in Sherman County, Oregon, and Maryhill in Klickitat County, Washington. It was named in honor of the early bridge proponent Sam Hill,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fTpYAAAAIBAJ&pg=4804%2C3465065 |work=Bend Bulletin |title=New bridge spanning Columbia River honors region's pioneer roadbuilder |date=November 2, 1962 |page=4}} the builder of the nearby Maryhill Museum of Art.

Construction on the Biggs Rapids Bridge began on October 3, 1960, and was funded by the Washington State Toll Bridge Authority. It is {{convert|2,567|ft|m}} long, including a {{convert|341|ft|m|adj=mid}} main truss span, and weighs {{convert|3,595,000|lbs}}.{{cite news |date=October 1962 |title=Biggs Rapids Bridge |page=16 |work=Washington Highway News |volume=10 |issue=1 |publisher=Washington State Department of Highways |oclc=29654162 |url=https://cdm16977.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16977coll1/id/4190/rec/17 |via=WSDOT Library Digital Collections |accessdate=October 10, 2021}} The bridge cost $2.4 million to construct and was dedicated in honor of Sam Hill during its opening ceremonies on November 1, 1962.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nG0pAAAAIBAJ&pg=7086%2C640279 |work=The Spokesman-Review |agency=Associated Press |title=New span opened |date=November 2, 1962 |page=6A}}{{cite book |last=Holstine |first=Craig E. |title=Spanning Washington: Historic Highway Bridges of the Evergreen State |publisher=Washington State University Press |pages=107–108 |year=2005 |isbn=0-87422-281-8}} It was initially a toll bridge charging $1 per vehicle, but the tolls were removed in February 1975.{{cite news |date=February 7, 1975 |title=Bridge Toll Ends |page=7 |work=The Spokesman-Review}}

The bridge was closed during part of 2007–2008 in order to complete repairs to the deck. Originally the Washington State Department of Transportation planned to replace the entire deck in 2010, but accelerated the project due to rapidly deteriorating roadway.{{cite news |first=Matthew |last=Preusch |title=Biggs project causes big detour |publisher=The Oregonian |date=January 1, 2007 |page=B1 |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/119915790915350.xml&coll=7 |access-date=January 1, 2008}} By March 2009 the project was finished at a total cost of project $16 million, split evenly between Oregon and Washington. It included replacing the deck with concrete, installing new railing, improving the drainage systems, and replacing the existing lighting.{{cite web |title=US 97 - Biggs Rapids - Sam Hill Bridge Deck Replacement |publisher=WSDOT |url=http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/US97/BiggsBridge | access-date = January 1, 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080509110744/http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/US97/BiggsBridge/ | archive-date = May 9, 2008 }} The new deck is expected to last 25 years.{{cite news |first=David |last=Lester |title=New year will start with detour at US 97 bridge at Biggs |work=Yakima Herald-Republic |date=December 9, 2007 |url=http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/295296947683034 |access-date=January 1, 2008}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}