Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail Beverly Bridge Rehabilitation
Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission
Beverly, Washington
Exeltech developed designs, permits, and construction documents for the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the historic, 3,000-foot-long historic steel truss railroad bridge as a non-motorized trail crossing the Columbia River. The Beverly Bridge is the pivotal missing piece connecting the eastern and western halves of the 285-mile-long cross-state Palouse-to-Cascades Trail, part of the Great American Rail-Trail. The project included replacing the railroad ties with pre-cast concrete deck panels and custom-designed steel railing suitable for non-motorized traffic including pedestrians, bicycles, and equestrians. Deck and railing designs were developed to be compatible with yet distinct from the historic characteristics of the bridge. Fencing along the bridge meets WSDOT requirements for protective screening where the bridge crosses SR 243 along the Columbia River. The selected railing is 64 inches high to protect equestrian traffic on the bridge while preserving the scenic views.
Exeltech completed all project environmental studies and documentation including a Biological Assessment for fish, wildlife, and rare plants, SEPA checklist, Joint Aquatic Resource Permit Application for the Hydraulic Project Approval, and Shoreline Substantial Development permits with both Grant and Kittitas Counties.
Prior to the Beverly Bridge Rehabilitation project, Exeltech completed a Predesign Study and Report on the Beverly Bridge in 2018 for the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation. The Predesign Study was completed to the standards of the Washington Office of Financial Management (OFM) for inclusion in the Governor’s biennial budgeting process. Exeltech’s bridge structural engineering team conducted an inspection and condition assessment of the bridge and prepared an inspection report with repair recommendations. Following assessment of the structural condition, Exeltech developed preliminary design alternatives and completed the OFM’s life cycle cost model and C-100 cost estimating tool for rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the bridge as a public non-motorized trail and for utility transmission service. Exeltech’s in-house media team produced a video to garner support for the project within the state Legislature and with stakeholder groups.
The project was honored with the 2023 ACEC Washington Best in State Gold Award (Social, Economics, and Sustainable Design Considerations).
