Historic Columbia River Highway

The Historic Columbia River Highway ( HCRH ) is a 120 km long originally scenic highway in the U.S. state of Oregon between the Sandy River at Troutdale and The Dalles. He was the first built as a Scenic Highway Highway in the United States and is, therefore, entered in the National Register of Historic Places and as a National Historic Landmark.

The entrepreneur Samuel Hill and engineer Samuel C. Lancaster were the main initiators for the construction of the highway through the Columbia River Gorge. Lancaster planned the highway as scenic highway that would lead as an east- west connection through the Columbia River Gorge not only, but it was planned from the outset as a scenic route with views of the many waterfalls and the canyon of the Columbia River. Lancaster designed the bridges and tunnels of the route as artistic enrichment of the landscape. The construction began in 1913 after Hill and his colleagues had the management of the Multnomah County and the state of Oregon convinced that the Columbia River Highway would be an important part of the newly constructed highway network. The retired wood entrepreneur John B. Yeon took over as road master of the Multnomah County supervision. The construction was funded with federal and state funds, so that of the 119 -kilometer highway was completed between Troutdale and The Dalles in 1922. The construction makes the Highway to a modern road construction milestone in 20th-century America. His road layout and the road drainage was performed according to Western European models, the highway was lined with dry stone walls and led to concrete bridges and through tunnels and received a fortified concrete pavement. The highway was continued and eventually stretched from the coast to Pendleton and was was there connected with the Old Oregon Trail Highway. Simon Benson, also a wood entrepreneur retired, bought several scenic areas on along the track and give it to the state, which made ​​them available to the public as a state park. The Benson State Recreation Area is named after him, the John B. Yeon State Scenic Corridor is reminiscent of the construction manager John B. Yeon.

With the introduction of the U.S. highway system in 1926 the Columbia River Highway was designated U.S. Route 30, The Columbia River Highway was used by millions of travelers and has been one of the most famous highways in the country. The increasing traffic but called for a faster and wider communication through the Columbia River Gorge. So the old highways were replaced by new, more developed sections from 1930 sections, skirting close to the river bank. The new route was designated Columbia River Highway No. 2 By 1960, the new highway had replaced almost all sections of the old highway. In the 1970s, the Columbia River Highway No. 2, the middle portion between was converted into four-lane freeway and only received the designation Interstate 80N and later the present name Interstate 84 The western section of the old highway remained as access to waterfalls and viewpoints obtained Cascade Locks and Hood River was built over the new Interstate, other sections were abandoned for car traffic and disrepair.

In the 1980s, interest in the old Scenic Highway rekindled. From 1981, examined the National Park Service, encouraged by citizens and local authorities, the old Columbia River Highway and emphasized in his investigation report, the historical and cultural significance of the old route. In 1983, the route was entered in the National Register of Historic Places. 1984 described the American Society of Civil Engineers Highway as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. He became a National Scenic Byway in 1999 - explained All American Road, and in 2000 he was awarded with the classification for the National Historic Landmark the highest possible protection status. The Oregon Department of Transportation has repaired in cooperation with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, the State Historic Preservation Office and Travel Oregon since 1987 existing lines again or exposed discontinued sections again and examined for potential restoration. Meanwhile, nearly 100 of the 120 km long stretch earlier are again available for non-motorized traffic for traffic or as Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. Some sections had been built over by the new I-84. By 2016, to be continuous recognizable historical Scenic Highway.