The Astoria-Megler Bridge The Astoria Bridge is a steel cantilever through truss bridge. Construction started on November 5, 1962. The architect that made the bridge was William A. Bugee. It was opened July 29, 1966. The bridge crosses the Columbia River. The bridge is so long its 4.1 miles long, it so crazy. The bridges width is 28 feet. As of 2004, an average of 7,100 vehicles per day uses the Astoria–Megler Bridge. The bridge carries only 1 lane for each way. There are 171 piers in the water (which are the things that hold it up). The bridge was built to withstand 150 mph wind gusts and river speeds of 9 mph. The concrete piers were cast at Tongue Point, 4 miles upriver. The steel structure was built in segments at Vancouver, Washington, 90 miles upriver, and then barged downstream where hydraulic jacks lifted them into place. The cost of the project was $24,000,000, equivalent to $174,000,000 today, and was paid for by tolls that were removed on December 24, 1993, more than two years early.