Port | Land | Bridge | Town

Giant staples pinning together two pieces of land, Portland's bridges define the city and enable it. My favorite remains the Steel Bridge, a workhorse that serves trains, vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians and still jacks itself into the sky for marine traffic. I'll never forget a letter we received when I worked at the newspaper from a reader railing against the Steel; he wanted it torn down for its ugliness.

I look at some of the other bridges, newer and far less interesting (Marquam, anyone?), and marvel at the aesthetic differences, and our opinions.

Detail of the Steel, framing barge loading wheat. Broadway and Fremont bridges (see the flag?!) are in the distance.

Cycling along this rail made my bike commute.