A shot of underside of St. John’s Bridge, on the east side of the Willamette River.

A shot of the 1931 St. John’s Bridge from the east bank of the Willamette River.

The Fremont Bridge carries only car and truck traffic on Interstate 5, north of downtown Portland.

Portland, Ore., has been dubbed many things, including bridge town. Here are two of the most distinct ones: St John’s Bridge (1931) and the Fremont Bridge (1973). The former dates from the Depression, when public works projects had a sense of artistry. The latter was built to serve one purpose–carry cars over Willamette River on Interstate 405 as efficiently as possible. More bridges are to come. (Click on each photograph to see a larger picture on a separate picture page.)