Bridge Aesthetics Guidance Memorandum

Para aprender más del Memorándum de orientación sobre la Estética del Puente y hablar sobre esta encuesta en español, por favor llame a Anastasia al 971.226.9116. 

Bridges are long-lasting, highly visible, and often important landmarks with strong character. In this spirit, as part of the process to design the new bridge, the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Aesthetics Committee has created an Aesthetics Guidance Memorandum to inform how the bridge looks and feels while on it or viewing it. ​

We are still early in the bridge design process. To inform future design decisions, the project team consulted with Gorge-based organizations, decision-makers and the public to understand what’s most important to emphasize with the new bridge design. ​

The Aesthetics Guidance memo will help guide the design team as they make decisions and refinements to the bridge design over the next year. Most importantly, it will ensure the design reflects the local community’s input and the unique regional character and natural beauty of the Columbia River Gorge.

The Bridge Aesthetics Committee was formed in early 2024 and was made up of people from transportation agencies and Gorge-related organizations, as well as six community members. The committee met 5 times and while working together, they identified an aesthetic theme for the bridge and made recommendations for the look and feel of the various pieces of the bridge. Their feedback was also previewed at a public open house in April where over 800 comments were provided on initial ideas for the bridge’s look and feel.

This summary of the  draft Aesthetics Guidance Memorandum  shows bridge aesthetic recommendations to be considered as part of the bridge design. Remember: We’re still early in the process, so not everything included in this memo may be possible.

We were previously collecting public feedback on this summary, but that survey is now closed. Thank you to those who participated.

These themes focus on bringing both sides of the river together. The committee hopes the bridge, as a new public space, will unite the community.​

• Using consistent colors, patterns, textures, and materials throughout the entire project.​
• Using the same art, symbols, and icons throughout the project​.
• Create gateways or public art elements that illustrate unification.​
• Avoid signage that points to separate communities and cultures.

These are some of the key recommendations summarized from the Aesthetics Guidance Memo.

Please note that the bridge design must comply with requirements from the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Management Plan, as well as federal rules for infrastructure projects that protect the environment and historic preservation. ​Other design recommendations are preferences that were expressed by the Bridge Aesthetics Committee, the public and project staff.

You can also read the  full draft memo .

Goal:​ Elegant, timeless design features that complement the historic nature of the area.​

​Recommendations:​ Use broad arches and slender piers to create a thin and open structural design. This design should allow for views of the Gorge between the piers, and should be harmonious with the surrounding landscape, in compliance with the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Management Plan.

Recommendations:​

• Provide at least two spacious overlooks located near mid-span to take best advantage of river views. Overlooks may vary in size. ​
• The overlooks should be spacious with benches, short-term bike parking and interpretive panels while taking full advantage of the Gorge views. ​
• Benches could have historic references, and interpretive panels should minimally obstruct views.

Goals and assumptions:​

The bridge colors should help the bridge harmonize with the Gorge landscape rather than stand out. Structurally, the bridge will consist of some combination of steel and concrete.​

Recommendations:​

• Use grey concrete instead of white. Concrete should not be painted or stained to avoid the need for future repainting. ​

• Steel bridge girders should be weathering steel using a method to avoid rust staining on concrete piers. ​

• Steel elements on the bridge that can be repainted (including railings, sign backs, light poles) should be painted a dark natural green.

Recommendations:​

• Create high-relief form-lined textures consisting of natural flowing organic forms potentially interpreting the periodic ice age floods or other geologic history. ​

• Avoid literal representations of natural materials, such as those mimicking natural stone textures, unless used in an abstract artistic manner like the examples below. ​

• Visible concrete portions of the bridge support structure would benefit from having a deeply relieved texture to create light and shade patterns.

Recommendations:​

• Lighting should be the minimum needed for the roadway and multi-use path safety. Include lighting that provides a safe and enjoyable experience for people driving, biking and walking while not casting light into the sky (fully Dark Sky compliant) or onto the water. ​
• Any accent lighting should be subtle without bright colors. ​
• Surface finishes should be matte or low-sheen finishes to reduce potential glare. ​

Recommendations:​

• The railing on the outer edge of the bridge along the multi-use path must meet various requirements defining minimum height, maximum opening size, and strength. ​
• The railing design presents an excellent opportunity to interpret the natural elements theme with craft and artistic expression. ​
• The railing should have historic references such as arches and be highly transparent. ​
• Railing should be highly transparent yet sturdy to resist climbing. ​
• Consider including wind protection in places with railing infill panels.

Recommendations:​

• The concrete portion of the traffic barriers should be the minimal allowable height. ​
• The barrier separating the southbound travel lane from the multi-use path should be vertical with a bike railing mounted on top that matches the pedestrian railing in style. ​
• Consider using an all-steel, more transparent barrier for the east side.​
• The back (multi-use path side) of the traffic barrier provides a close-up view for those walking and biking and is an opportunity to add detail to an otherwise monotonous surface, possibly with a basalt veneer. ​

Considerations:​

• The Gorge, particularly near the existing bridge, is known for strong winds. Community members have expressed a potential need for wind protection and noise reduction at the overlooks. ​

• There is concern around the use of transparent panels and how well they would hold up in these conditions. ​

• Some form of slatted metal panels may be possible. ​

Recommendation:​

• Consider and evaluate the feasibility and potential benefits of wind protection and noise reduction at the overlooks and at places along the multi-use path.

Recommendations:​

• Construct the multi-use path with either different types of paving or different textures for different uses and a paint stripe to separate bikes from pedestrians. ​
• The pedestrian portion should offer adequate slip resistance while maintaining a smooth surface for those using wheelchairs, walkers or other mobility aids.

Recommendation: ​

• Incorporate art as part of the bridge using local artists to interpret the Natural Elements theme, as well as the One Community and Public Space themes. ​

• Wherever possible, art should be incorporated into the bridge rather than placed or attached. ​

• Art could also be audial in nature such as a wind pipe organ, functional such as windsocks or poetry/storytelling. ​

• Members of the committee and the public have expressed a desire to use local artists, including tribal artists for bridge artwork.

Considerations:​

• Although a variety of possible gateway elements have been discussed, the committee and community agree that any artwork on the bridge should feel culturally relevant to the region.​

Recommendations: ​

• Include monuments at both ends and both sides of the bridge. Monuments could include sculptures or architectural elements.​
• Display real-time data on current conditions at each end of the bridge (such as wind speed and direction, salmon passage numbers, etc.). It is preferred to provide this information in an artistic manner, rather than a simple digital screen. ​
• Provide parking at both ends of the bridge, if possible.

Recommendations:​

• Identify the Washington-Oregon state line in a subtle way. ​

• Welcome signs in various languages at both ends of the bridge should be considered that is in line with the One Community theme. ​

• Interpretive panels should extend from shore to shore but may be focused on the overlooks. ​

• Any tribal interpretation will be developed with the tribes. ​

• Welcome signs and interpretive panels are okay if they don’t detract from scenic views or add to visual clutter. ​

• Historic interpretation of the existing bridge and other subjects is a requirement of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Thank you to those who participated in the survey. Once the Aesthetics Guidance Memorandum is finalized with that feedback in mind, the bridge design team will consult it as they develop an Aesthetics Design Package, which describes in detail what the bridge will look like.

 Final Draft Aesthetics Guidance Memo  + Online Open House

Final Aesthetic Guidance Memo adopted by the Bridge Authority

Aesthetics Design Package submitted to Bridge Authority (by design-build team)

Public open house to review Design Package