The Beverly Bridge across the Columbia River is officially will be open for public use April 8th, 2022! This bridge is a critical link in the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail (PTCT). With new decking and railings, the historic Beverly Bridge in Beverly, WA will now be open to non-motorized use. Prior to the renovation of the Beverly Bridge there was no easy, safe route for travelers on the PTCT to get across the Columbia River.
Completed in 1909 by the Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul and Pacific Railroad as part of its western expansion to Tacoma from Chicago, the Beverly Bridge is 3,052 feet long and 69 feet above the river. The railroad abandoned operations in the 1970’s and the State of Washington acquired the railroad’s property including the Beverly Bridge in 1981.
The bridge is owned by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) but was renovated by and is managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (WA State Parks). In addition to the DNR and WA State Parks, the renovation involved collaboration by the Cascade Rail Foundation, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, and the Palouse to Cascades Trail Coalition, which elevated interest in and enthusiasm for the bridge renovation, as well as supporting funding for the project. Renovation costs were included in the WA State Legislature’s capital budget for 2019-2021.
The official Dedication Ceremony is April 8th, 2022 at 1PM, at the Huntzinger Road trailhead on the west side of the Columbia River.
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