Mt. Si Bridge
Cris Bruch
North Bend
A rural bridge uses bright color to stir awe and highlight its surroundings.
A barn-red bridge spans the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River on the road to Mount Si—a modern replacement for the original bridge, which dated back to 1914 and was moved to the North Bend location from a spot on the White River in 1955.
Artist and design team member Cris Bruch chose the red color of the truss (he liked the way it contrasted with the backdrop of evergreen trees) as well as the spring green used on the decorative railings. He also created the bridge’s cast bronze gusset ornamentation and designed the plantings of Red Twig Dogwood, which mark the places where the old bridge connected to the land. Each of these art elements heightens the experience of the bridge, highlighting its surroundings and history.
I thought about the bridge as an event, an experience that should contain some awe and excitement, which has a narrative structure to it. I hope it will become an object of affection for the public over time. – Cris Bruch
