Weight restrictions placed on Bridge of the Gods

New weight restrictions will be in place beginning Tuesday on the Bridge of the Gods, which crosses the Columbia River near the towns of Stevenson and Cascade Locks, Ore.

The restrictions were announced by the bridge’s owner, the Port of Cascade Locks. The weight limit will be eight tons, or 16,000 pounds, for all traffic.

A recent Oregon Department of Transportation inspection resulted in the emergency weight limits being placed on the span. In March, weight had been restricted to a maximum of 80,000 pounds at one time with a flagger, or 60,000 pounds without.

The new weight restriction will not affect passenger vehicles, which are much lighter. Heavy commercial trucks will have to detour until repairs can be made, according to the port.

The port has hired an engineering firm to immediately develop repair plans, cost estimates and a time frame needed to complete all work to achieve the legal load limit of 40 tons, or 80,000 pounds.

Truckers with prepurchased toll tickets who want a refund should contact the port office, 541-374-8619.

The cantilever bridge is 1,858 feet long, 35 feet wide and 140 feet above the Columbia River. It opened in 1926 and was raised 44 feet in the 1930s after the construction of Bonneville Dam, which lies just downstream. The passenger car toll is $1 each way.

Bridge of the Gods is named for a natural stone bridge that once spanned the river in the area.