Fremont Bridge — Attraction in Portland

Landmark sets stage for Christmas Ships Parade. Best place to view several times a season. We use the Westside river boardwalk as our traditional place to go along the Willamette. An Icon of Portland, the Fremont, aka the I-405 Bridge, was an interesting build with the top arch being barged in and then lifted 170 feet into place. It's named for the street where it takes off from on the Eastside which was named for famous explorer, Capt. John C. Fremont. It opened in November 1973.

Today, City of Portland uses much of the ground below it to house their large collection of maintenance vehicles. Lately, it seems they are fencing the area off for more equipment. I didn't think about it much until last year, 2017, a bridge outside Atlanta burned and collapsed. At first it was blamed entirely on a homeless man who set fire to a cloth chair. Turned out the city was involved by storing rolls of white conduit pipe under the bridge. I wonder how much bigger the fire would have been if their equipment had been stored in same area, kinda like here.

Perhaps I wouldn't be so judgmental, except that they (who is in charge anyway?) let weeds take over cracks in the embankments of this giant bridge. All who pass by can see, no one polices the area (military jingo "for pick up the refuse" aka trash). It is also obvious to the casual observer that the large pillars which support this lovely bridge need painting, pretty soon, as they are peeling.

When I first moved here in 1986 I drove the middle deck of this bridge nearly every day to go home. What I didn't like about that was how fumey the air was in there. I always wondered if they could install fans to clear the air and MAYBE make some wind energy with the cars driving by. Long shot, sure, but we could use more innovations in our world.

Come on, Google, help us clean up our planet. Starting in our own backyard is the best place to begin. In the meantime, let's watch the Christmas Ships! Under the Fremont. Oh, those two flags: They were installed with the help of...

On several occasions, I've participated in the Providence Bridge Pedal and have crossed the top deck of the Fremont bridge several times. One year, as some of the pictures I've shared, I took part in the Fremont Express (12 bridge ride), which featured a breakfast on top of the Fremont and then crossing it a second time later in the morning before proceeding up river to the St. Johns. This year (2018), for a change of pace, I took the Bridge (5 miles) Stride and we entered the 405 at 16th and Glisan and strode to the top of the Fremont along with cyclists who came from off the Marquam. Quite an experience and a challenge where walking...

Approaching bridge from the east, there are encampments, litter, graffiti, stolen cars at the side of the road (being stripped), piles of bikes. Once I saw inside a blue tarp shelter a large fire. I have lived in Portland since 1976, and I have traveled over this bridge to get to work for 40 + years. It is no better approaching the Fremont Bridge from the west- more encampments, trash- flowing down the embankment by gravity and sheer volume. I am like every other person- I am angered, depressed at the sight. Even "breaking bad", and "Thunderdome" were not this bad. It makes me so ashamed of this city...