Yale Bridge

The Yale Bridge or Lewis River Bridge spans the Lewis River near Yale, Washington. It was built in 1932 by Cowlitz and Clark counties. The suspension bridge has a clear span of 300 feet, with a total length of 532 feet, replacing a previous steel truss bridge at the site. Construction of the Ariel Dam had created Lake Merwin with a water depth of 90 feet at the site, requiring a new bridge that did not need to have support piers in the water. The road deck, stiffened by a steel Warren truss, is 50 feet above the high water line of the reservoir.

The bridge was designed by Harold H. Gilbert of the Washington State Highway Department, and was constructed by the Gilpin Construction Company of Portland, Oregon. The only short-span steel suspension bridge in Washington, the bridge incorporates unique features.