Scaling The Turbulent Waters

Pacific Coast bridges symbolize a suspended engineering subjugation of hostile topography and inclement weather. Soaring as monumental arches above formerly impassible water bodies, these structurally tiered marvels have embedded themselves organically as creations of sculpture. This edition is a detailed photographic profile of elegance, ornamentation and detail design of 85 spans crossing the Pacific Ocean, coastal rivers, valleys and waterways within California, Oregon and Washington. The edition features accompanying dimensional information along with interesting and relevant historical anecdotes. The book’s intent is to display perspective detail, alternative views and pictorial examinations of the artistry and utilitarian construction. Despite the majesty of these enduring architectural icons, few bridge designers have achieved the renown as their urban creative peers.

Oregon based engineer, Conde McCullough is championed with an essay entitled “Scaling Above the Currents With Elegance” tracing the trajectory of his life and professional career. McCullough is noteworthy for his completion of hundreds of design projects with twelve listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The most traveled of his bridges were completed between the 1919-1936, when he headed the bridge design division of the Oregon Department of Transportation.

What set McCullough apart from his contemporaries was his insistence that aesthetics must accompany form and function. His art deco and modernist stylings have established his completed works as classics. Creating during an era when automobile predominance had not yet been established, many of his narrow dimension works have become impractical for contemporary traffic loads. The design elements make the inconvenience tolerable.

Following a two-year sabbatical where he worked designing bridges for the Pan American Highway in Central America, McCullough abruptly retired completely from bridge design at the age of 49. The majority of his iconic Oregon projects are located along the Pacific Coast Highway. The bridge crossing Coos Bay, designed by his department, was renamed the Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge following his sudden death from a stroke in 1946 at the age of 58.

The architectural development of the Pacific Coast can be credited to an established bridge network, particularly within Northern California, along the Oregon Coastline and Puget Sound. The remaining challenges involve proper maintenance to preserve these steadfast cathedrals of passage.