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Squirrel Bridge Tour

Name
Squirrel Bridge Tour
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Long Description

Longview, WA is famous for its delightful squirrel bridges—ingenious little wildlife crossings crafted to help squirrels avoid busy streets. Here’s a full tour of all the known bridges:

1. Nutty Narrows Bridge

  • Location: Olympia Way, between 18th Ave & Maple St (near R.A. Long Park).

  • Details: The original 1963 squirrel crossing—60 ft long, built from recycled fire hose and aluminum. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

  • Why It’s Awesome: This catenary-style miniature suspension bridge was the first in the U.S. and remains Longview’s iconic landmark.

2. Bruce Kamp Squirrel Bridge

  • Location: 1300 block of West Kessler Boulevard.

  • Details: A covered‑bridge style structure installed in 2011 as a memorial. Made of copper with a webcam

  • Tour Tip: Walk or drive West along Kessler Blvd to find it—look for the webcam!

3. John R. Dick Bridge

  • Location: Nichols Boulevard, near Kentucky Blvd (by RA Long High School).

  • Details: Unveiled ~2012, modeled after Boston’s Zakim Bridge—a cable‑stayed version

4. OBEC Bridge

  • Location: Louisiana St at ~23rd Ave.

  • Details: Installed circa 2013–14; a covered‑bridge aesthetic with redwood frame and metal roof. Designed by OBEC Engineering

5. Safety Awareness Bridge

  • Location: 1700 block of Kessler Boulevard.

  • Details: A 2015 truss‑style structure built by local high‑school robotics teams, featuring colored glass panels (walkers, cyclists) to promote safety

6. R.D. Olson MFG. Bridge

  • Location: On Kessler Boulevard across from Lion’s Island.

  • Details: Designed to resemble the big Lewis‑Clark Bridge across the Columbia. Built by R.D. Olson MFG from Kelso

7. Fremont‑Style (S & R) Bridge

  • Location: Kessler Blvd at the end of Lake Sacajawea.

  • Details: An aluminum replica of Portland’s Fremont Bridge—about 20 ft long, tied‑arch design

8. PUD Squirrel Bridge

  • Location: (Often referred simply as the “PUD Bridge”) Precise location on Kessler Blvd; built by the public utility district .

9. Waco Japan Sister City Bridge

  • Location: Also on Kessler Boulevard, celebrating Longview’s partnership with Waco, Japan mylongview.com.

🗺️ Suggested Tour Route

  1. Start at Nutty Narrows near R.A. Long Park.

  2. Drive west on Kessler Blvd:

    • Stop at Bruce Kamp,

    • Continue to Safety Awareness,

    • Visit R.D. Olson near Lion’s Island.

  3. Swing south to Nichols Blvd for the John R. Dick Bridge.

  4. Head to Louisiana St & 23rd Ave to see the OBEC Bridge.

  5. Finish at Fremont‑Style, PUD, and Sister City Bridges by Lake Sacajawea end of Kessler Blvd.

  6. Time your visit for August, when Squirrel Fest celebrates these quirky landmarks on a guided tour.

🎯 Fun & Useful Info

  • Bridges are maintained by volunteer group Sandbaggers, who also host Squirrel Fest

  • The bridges aren’t just cute—they help reduce squirrel road fatalities and make for great photo ops!

  • You can stream live via webcam on the Bruce Kamp bridge at lvsquirrelfest.com.

This self-guided tour should take about 1–2 hours by car or bike, plus plenty of opportunities for squirrel-watching and exploring Lake Sacajawea Park. Enjoy your nutty adventure!

There are also a Squirrel Bridge Tour each year during the Squirrel Festival on the 3rd Saturday of August.

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