Richard Hobbs

Spanning Washington: Historic Highway Bridges of the Evergreen State Richard Hobbs First Printing edition

Designed first and foremost to be practical, bridges nevertheless are often breathtaking in their construction, combining function and aesthetics. The historic spans of the Evergreen State?s highways are no exception. These technological wonders are extraordinary by any measure, yet their stories have remained largely unknown.

Conceived by visionary engineers and built by anonymous skilled workmen, Washington?s highway bridges are amazing triumphs of design and play a significant role in the state?s history. Several, at the time of their completion, attracted worldwide attention and the praise of professional engineers, influencing the course of bridge construction.

In their quest to compile the first comprehensive history of the state?s highway bridges, the authors exhaustively researched the extensive records of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), collecting definitive documentation and photographs from across the state. This magnificent book, including more than 200 illustrations, represents the culmination of years of study by many individuals associated with WSDOT and the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (Olympia).