November, 1922
THE WESTERN AMERICAN
Vote i» Favor of The Ross Island Bridge
BOARD of County Commissioners of
T HE Multnomah
County have placed upon a
separate ballot for the November election two
measures for the construction of bridges. One
for the issuance of $1,600,000 of bonds for the
construction of a new high bridge across the
river near the north end of Ross Island, and
the second for the issuance of $3,000,000 of
bonds for the construction of a new Burnside
Street bridge..
The proposed Ross Island bridge forms an
ideal solution for the relief of the overload of
traffic on our southerly bridges. It will be a
high bridge, extending from the top of the high
bluff at Grand Avenue and Beacon Street on
the east side of the river to the vicinity of
Grover and Kelly Streets on the west site. It will
be 130 feet above high water, so that all vessels
that can pass through the Hawthorne Avenue
bridge when the draw is at its maximum height
can pass under the new bridge, consequently
no draw will be required. Furthermore, ample
clearance will be given under the bridge for the
Oregon City cars on the east side and the Ore
gon Electric and Southern Pacific cars on the
west side, so that grade crossings near the
approaches will be completely eliminated. The
roadway of the bridge will be 36 feet wide, so
that four lines of traffic may pass at all times.
With this additionl roadway area traffic re
lief will be afforded our other bridges.
This bridge will permit traffic from the east
side to gradually filter through South Port
land into the west side business districts, so
there will be no congestion similar to that
which exists upon our other west side streets
connecting with our other bridges. South Port,
land, Southwest Portland and the southeast dis
tricts of the city, and the southeast portion of
the county as far as Gresham will benefit greatly
from this bridge. The same development of prop
erty will take place along the approaches to
this bridge and the arteries leading therefrom
that has taken place along our other bridges.
This bridge was sponsored by the following
Improvement and Community Clubs of south
west and southeast Portland:
1. South Portland Improvement Club.
2. Westmoreland Community Club.
3. Brooklyn Improvement Club.
4. Woodstock Improvement Club.
5. Mt. Scott Improvement Club.
6. Lents Business Men’s Club.
7. Neighborhood Community Club of South
Portland.
Traffic congestion upon our bridges has in
creased tremendously during the last few years
due to the advent of the automobile and the
auto truck. Ten years ago the Hawthorne
Avenue bridge carried less than 2000 vehicles
per day; now more than 15,000 vehicles cross
every 24 hours. Our present bridges are fast
breaking under this overload as shown by the
condition of the Bumside and Morrison Street
bridges. Traffic congestion on our bridges is
mainly due to three causes. First, the road
way on the bridges is not of sufficient area to
carry the traffic load imposed upon them; sec
ond, all the bridges have draws which must
open to river traffic, which causes delay to
their own traffic; third, there are several grade
crossings on the approaches to each one of our
bridges, and they are particularly bad in the
case of our Hawthorne. Avenue bridge, which
has grade crossings from Grand Avenue on the
east side to Fifth Street on the west side. In
consequence, Judge Rossman, while Municipal
Judge, found that the number of traffic acci
dents and traffic violations were far greater
upon the Hawthorne Avenue bridge than any
other bridge in the city.
Citizens throughout our city who see the urgent need and the great necessity for this bridge have
adopted this Campaign slogan:
“FOR ABRIDGE WE UNITE ON THE ROSS ISLAND SITE”
The Ross Island bridge is recognized as a real need
and has been officially approved not only by the
County Commissioners but also by the City Council
and the City Planning Commission. The plans for the
bridge have been approved by the City Engineer, the
Bridge Engineer of the Oregon State Highway Com
mission and the U. S. Bridge Engineer, Office of Good
Roads. Its cost will be $1,600’000.. It will be very
economical to maintain as the nine men required on
each one of our other bridges for the operation of the
draw for a 24-hour day will be entirely eliminated.
$115,000 per year will create a fund for the redemp
tion of the 'bonds, pay interest on the bonds and pay
for the up-keep and maintenance of the bridge. In
all, this will require only a tax levy of 35c per $1,000
of assessed property valuation.
If the best business system of the city is to be main
tained and the west side is to remain the preeminent
district of the city this bridge will be required. Its
connection on the east side of the river direct with the
Powell Valley road means that every improved traffic
artery from the southeast portion of the city and county
will connect direct with the city. 91,000 people are
located south of Division Street in southeast and south
west Portland and this one-third of the city’s popula
tion will be directly benefitted by the bridge, which
at the same time meets a general need.
It will require two years to build this bridge. If the
volume of vehicular traffic has doubled in four years,
what will be the increase of traffic by the time this
bridge is ready for use?
(Paid Advertisement)
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