Deception Pass Bridge

Last updated
Deception Pass Bridge
Deceptionpass bridge2.jpg
Both Canoe Pass and Deception Pass Bridges, looking east
Coordinates 48°24′22″N122°38′42″W / 48.4061°N 122.645°W / 48.4061; -122.645
CarriesWA-20.svg SR 20
Crosses Deception Pass, Canoe Pass
Locale Oak Harbor, Washington
Heritage statusNRHP
Characteristics
DesignDeck arch, cantilever
MaterialSteel
Total length1,487 feet (453 m)
Width28 feet (8.5 m)
Longest span511 feet (156 m)
Clearance below 180 feet (55 m)
History
Construction startAugust 1934
InauguratedJuly 1935
Statistics
Daily traffic 20,000 cars
Deception Pass Bridge
Deception Pass Bridge in 2017.jpg
Deception Pass Bridge, connecting Whidbey Island to Pass Island.
Location Island and Skagit counties, Washington
Nearest city Oak Harbor; Anacortes
MPS Historic Bridges/Tunnels in Washington State TR
NRHP reference No. 82004285
Added to NRHPJuly 16, 1982
Location
Deception Pass Bridge

Deception Pass Bridge is the common name for two two-lane bridges on Washington State Route 20 connecting Whidbey Island in Island County, to Fidalgo Island in Skagit County, in the U.S. state of Washington. It was a Washington State Highways project, and included project elements built by young workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps. Completion of the bridge was a factor in the decision to build Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and helped Oak Harbor flourish. The bridge is a commonly photographed landmark of the Puget Sound region.

Contents

History

In the spring of 1792, Joseph Whidbey, master of HMS Discovery and Captain Vancouver's chief navigator proved that it was not really a small bay as charted by the Spaniards (hence the name "Deception"), but a deep and turbulent channel that connects the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the Saratoga Passage, which separates the mainland from what they believed was a peninsula (actually Fidalgo Island and Whidbey Island). Thomas Coupe, a sea captain and founder of Coupeville, was the only man ever to sail a full-rigged ship through the strait discovered by Whidbey.

In the early years of the 20th century, travelers of the horse-and-buggy era used an unscheduled ferry to cross from Fidalgo Island to Whidbey Island. To call the ferry, they banged a saw with a mallet and then sat back to wait.

The bridge, one of the scenic wonders of the Pacific Northwest, is actually two spans, one over Canoe Pass to the north, and another over Deception Pass to the south. Pass Island lies between the two bridges. Construction began in August 1934, and the completed bridge was dedicated at noon on July 31, 1935. The Wallace Bridge and Structural Co. of Seattle, Washington provided 460 tons of steel for the 511-foot (156 m) Canoe Pass arch and 1130 tons for the 976-foot (297 m) Deception Pass span. The cost of the New Deal-era construction was $482,000, made possible through the Public Works Administration and county funds.

In 1982, the bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places ahead of a repainting project that cost more than the original construction cost. [1] A second repainting was completed in 1997.[ citation needed ]A third repainting project began in May 2019 and is expected to be completed in late 2021 at a cost of $22.6 million.[ needs update ] The bridge will retain its current color, named "Evergreen Green", using lead-free paint; the project also includes replacement of steel pieces that have signs of corrosion. [2] [3]

Bridge Facts

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deception Pass</span> Strait between Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands on Puget Sound

Deception Pass is a strait separating Whidbey Island from Fidalgo Island, in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Washington. It connects Skagit Bay, part of Puget Sound, with the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A pair of bridges known collectively as Deception Pass Bridge cross Deception Pass. The bridges were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puget Sound</span> Deep water sound of the Salish Sea in northwestern Washington, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whidbey Island</span> Island in Puget Sound in Washington, United States

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Anacortes is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is an adaptation of the name of Anne Curtis Bowman, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman. Anacortes' population was 17,637 at the time of the 2020 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes Metropolitan Statistical Area.

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Fidalgo Island is an island in Skagit County, Washington, located about 60 mi (97 km) north of Seattle. To the east, it is separated from the mainland by the Swinomish Channel, and from Whidbey Island to the south by Deception Pass. The island is named after the Spanish explorer and cartographer Salvador Fidalgo, who explored the area in 1790.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deception Pass ferry</span> Defunct ferry route in Washington state

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References

  1. Fiege, Gale (November 13, 2014). "Plenty of places to explore in Oak Harbor, around north Whidbey". The Everett Herald. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  2. "Deception Pass bridges undergoing repair, painting". Skagit Valley Herald . May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  3. Gilbert, Emily (May 3, 2019). "Deception Pass Bridge repair project starts Monday". KING 5 News . Retrieved May 7, 2020.