LOWER CUSTER WAY BRIDGE

This bridge replaced an earlier wooden span at the site. It was built in 1915 under the direction of the Thurston County engineering office. Charles G. Huber, who constructed bridges throughout the State, including a number of Luten arches in eastern Washington, was the contractor.

The Luten arch, which was introduced to the United States from Germany in 1900, was one of the early scientific solutions to bar reinforcing in concrete. Unlike many of the earliest solutions to arch reinforcing which indiscriminately placed steel shapes throughout the concrete, the Luten system pointed to later techniques which distributed the steel primarily in the tension zones. In the Luten system, several bars forming a complete loop were laid transversely through the vault and invert of the arch. These series of loops were also laid throughout the length of the structure at regular intervals. The bars were bent to conform to the semicircular section of the vault, and were placed near the surfaces of maximum tension under live load. The Lower Custer Way Crossing, which is part of the Tumwater Historic District, is representative of an early Luten arch constructed within the State.

The 190 foot long structure includes two 75 foot arches, and carries an 18 foot roadway across the Deschutes River.

Listed on the Washington State Register of Historic Places

Custer Way; Built 1915

Henderson House Museum photograph

City of Tumwater Historical Information

Updated: 03/04/08