At noon on October 26, 1926, a brother and sister walked toward one another above the Columbia River. Theodore Iman and Flora Iman Foster met at the center of the new Bridge of the Gods and shook hands. One had been born in Cascade Locks, the other in Stevenson, both before their respective states entered the Union. Their meeting helped open a crossing that reaches its hundredth anniversary today, Monday, October 26, 2026.
The Cascade Locks Historical Museum preserves that opening-day account in its centennial exhibit. After the siblings met, the assembled crowd hurried to the center to celebrate. The first automobile across was a Chevrolet sedan, and workers had to lay planks for it because the wooden deck was not yet finished. A hundred years later, the bridge is still carrying people between Oregon and Washington, though the opening-day toll booth in the middle of the span is long gone.
A Century of Crossing the Columbia
The Port of Cascade Locks owns and operates the crossing, which connects Interstate 84 on the Oregon side with State Route 14 in Washington. The Port puts average annual vehicle crossings at about 1.6 million. Its toll revenue supports bridge maintenance, painting and inspections, along with Port operations.
The current structure stretches 1,858 feet, according to the Port’s bridge information. Cars and pickups pay a standard $3 toll, with a lower rate for qualifying BreezeBy users. Pedestrians and bicycles also use the crossing, and the Port asks drivers to yield to them. The published speed limit is 15 mph.
The Next Century Requires Work Too
Keeping the bridge in service has required looking ahead as well as celebrating its past. In a March 2024 announcement, the Port reported a $6 million Oregon legislative allocation for engineering studies on seismic resilience and preservation. The work described included site and soil assessments and analysis of structural vulnerabilities. A separate lane for pedestrians, bicycles and equestrians was also proposed for study.
The museum’s Riveting History online exhibition offers a way to explore the centennial without planning around an event. Its sections follow the crossing from construction and opening through later changes and local ownership. TOL’s full Bridge of the Gods story explores the older natural crossing and the name behind the steel bridge. If the anniversary inspires an outing, our fall in Oregon guide can help with the wider trip; check the Port’s current bridge notices before heading out.
