Beverly Bridge Receives Valerie Sivinski Award for Outstanding Rehabilitation

(Olympia, May 1, 2023) Dr. Allyson Brooks, Washington State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) has announced the 2023 award recipients for Outstanding Achievements in Historic Preservation. Each year, the Washington SHPO recognizes people, projects, and organizations throughout the state that have achieved distinction in the field of historic preservation.

Washington State Parks, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and Exeltech Consulting are honored for the Beverly Bridge rehabilitation, a project that embodies the power of community partnerships at their finest. The former railroad bridge was constructed in 1909 to connect Milwaukee Road’s transcontinental route from Chicago to Puget Sound, traversing one of the most challenging crossings of the Columbia River. This feat of engineering fell into disrepair after the bankrupt railroad company abandoned the line in 1980. Damage from a 2014 wildfire landed the bridge on the Washington Trust’s most endangered places list in 2017. Through advocacy and support from organizations invested in this region’s historic preservation, recreation, and revitalization, the Beverly Bridge was repurposed as a trail for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians. Advocates for the project include the John Wayne Pioneer Wagons and Riders, Friends of the Kittitas Depot, City of Kittitas, Kittitas County Public Utility District, Palouse to Cascades Trail Coalition, Cascade Rail Foundation, and Rails to Trails Conservancy. The cost-effective rehabilitation plan preserved the grand appearance of the historic structure with minimal site disturbance resulting in a critical investment in Washington State tourism that will continue to enrich the lives of Washingtonians.