The graceful bridge that carries travelers over Coos Bay into North Bend is the longest of eleven bridges designed by Conde McCullough and built by the federal Public Works Administration in the 1930s. Completed in 1936 and known as the North Bend Bridge, it was renamed for McCullough after his death in 1947.

Before 1936, travelers had to take a ferry across the bay from North Bend to Glasgow. For years, the ferry ran only in summer because the coastal roads were impassable to cars in winter until construction of U.S. Highway 101 began in 1921.

Although a drawbridge was originally proposed for the site, that idea was also rejected because the bridge would have to be opened too often. Instead, McCullough designed a structure that soars 150 feet over the water and stretches 5,305 feet, including the approach spans.

McCullough’s design has drawn recognition for its beauty. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Since 2007, the bridge has been undergoing renovations. Deteriorated sections of concrete have been replaced with new material, and the bridge is receiving an electrically charged layer of zinc that will prevent seawater from corroding the steel rebar in the existing concrete.

As part of the renovations, the bridge’s Art Deco concrete guardrails were replaced with new, stronger ones. The old rails were sold to the public or donated for public projects, and many sections can be seen in front of homes and businesses in the area.