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The Interstate 182 (I-182) Bridge, officially the Lee–Volpentest Bridges, is the collective name for a pair of bridges carrying
Interstate 182 Interstate 182 (I-182) is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Washington. It serves as a connector from I-82 to the Tri-Cities region that crosses the Columbia River on the Interstate 182 Bridge between Rich ...
over the
Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
between Pasco and Richland in the U.S. state of Washington. They are named after Glenn C. Lee, publisher of the '' Tri-City Herald'', and Sam Volpentest, a prominent local businessman. It is one of three bridges connecting Pasco to the other members of the
Tri-Cities Tri-Cities most often refers to: *Tri-Cities, Tennessee, United States *Tri-Cities, Washington, United States Tri-City, Tricity or Tri-Cities may also refer to: Populated places Americas Canada *Tri-Cities (British Columbia), consisting of Co ...
of Washington ( Kennewick and Richland), along with the Cable Bridge and the Blue Bridge.


History

In 1894 the
Timmerman ferry Timmerman is a Dutch occupational surname with the meaning "carpenter". It may refer to: * Adam Timmerman (1971), American football guard * Axel Timmermann, climate physicist and oceanographer * Gert Jan Timmerman (1956), Dutch chess player * G ...
started operation at this site and continued operation until 1931. The city of Richland, which grew rapidly beginning in the 1940s due to its proximity to the Hanford Site, proposed a bridge over the Columbia River to Pasco several times in the decade following the ferry's shutdown. Most proposals in the 1960s and 1970s focused on a location north of the city at Horn Rapids Road to allow Hanford commuters to bypass the city. After
Interstate 182 Interstate 182 (I-182) is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Washington. It serves as a connector from I-82 to the Tri-Cities region that crosses the Columbia River on the Interstate 182 Bridge between Rich ...
was approved in 1969, proposals remained for a separate, tolled crossing north of the city to be built in tandem with the interstate bridge. Preliminary work at the bridge site, including soil tests, began in early 1978. Ground was broken on the I-182 Bridge on July 8, 1981, with construction expected to be finished in late 1984 at a cost of $23.8 million. It was the first bridge in the state to be built with post-tensioned cast-in-place concrete, which progressed from each side of the river. Work was delayed by approximately 90 days due to the discovery of faulty bridge bearings, which were replaced at a cost of $600,000 (of which $240,000 was paid by the state government). The final concrete pour was completed on June 26, 1984. The westbound span was dedicated and opened to two-way traffic on November 27, 1984. The eastbound span opened in early 1986. The bridge was named for '' Tri-City Herald'' publisher Glenn C. Lee and businessman Sam Volpentest, both prominent members of the Tri-City Nuclear Industrial Council and advocates for local highway projects. Others suggested for the bridge's namesake included Pasco lobbyist George L. Cook, U.S. Senator
Warren G. Magnuson Warren Grant "Maggie" Magnuson (April 12, 1905May 20, 1989) was an American lawyer and politician who represented the state of Washington in Congress for 44 years, first as a Representative from 1937 to 1944, and then as a senator from 1944 to 1 ...
, and ''Tri-City Herald'' editor Donald Pugnetti. During construction of the bridge on May 17, 1983, a crane collapsed and killed a foreman. The bridge was unofficially dedicated as the John K. Seward Memorial Bridge by other construction workers in his honor. A memorial plaque was installed in lieu of naming the bridge for the foreman.


See also

* Blue Bridge (Washington) carries US 395 over the Columbia River. * Cable Bridge carries SR 397 over the Columbia River. * Duportail Bridge carries Richland's Duportail Street over the Yakima River.


References


External links

* * {{Crossings navbox , structure =
Crossings Crossings may refer to: * ''Crossings'' (Buffy novel), a 2002 original novel based on the U.S. television series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' * Crossings (game), a two-player abstract strategy board game invented by Robert Abbott * ''Crossings'' ...
, place =
Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
, bridge = Interstate 182 Bridge , bridge signs = , upstream =
Vernita Bridge The Vernita Bridge is a bridge on Washington State Route 24 over the Columbia River between Grant County and Benton County, located approximately south of Desert Aire and Mattawa, Washington. The bridge is in the Hanford Reach National Monument ...
, upstream signs = , downstream = Blue Bridge , downstream signs = Tri-Cities, Washington Bridges over the Columbia River Bridges in Benton County, Washington Bridges in Franklin County, Washington Road bridges in Washington (state) Bridges on the Interstate Highway System 1984 establishments in Washington (state) Concrete bridges in the United States