Grand Coulee Bridge by two concrete piers, about 150 ft high. During construction, one of the piers began to tilt, probably due to fine glacial material under the gravel. Additional supports were added as a temporary measure. The piers were later taken down to the bedrock using pneumatic caissons. Grand Coulee Bridge The Grand Coulee Bridge, or Columbia River Bridge at Grand Coulee Dam, is a steel thru cantilever truss bridge built in 1934-1935. It carries Washington State Route 155 across the Columbia River immediately below Grand Coulee Dam, near the city of Grand Coulee, Washington. It was added to the National Register
Grand Coulee Dam the year. For example, while the dam may generate at nameplate-capacity in the spring, decreased river flow in the fall means less power can be generated the rest of the year, resulting in a lower capacity factor. The proposal to build the dam was the focus of a bitter debate during the 1920s between two groups. One group wanted to irrigate the ancient Grand Coulee with a gravity canal while the other pursued a high dam and pumping scheme. The dam supporters won in 1933, but for fiscal reasons the initial design was for a "low dam" tall which would