First Look: The Red Electric Bridge is finished and it’s beautiful

Lisa Caballero (Contributor)

3 years ago

first steps rotate2 — First steps onto the east end of the Red Electric Bridge (Photos: Lisa Caballero/BikePortland)

The Red Electric Bridge appears to be completed. It has not yet been officially opened, but people are already using it, and boy is this bridge a beauty.

I visited early Sunday morning and took photos in the drizzle. The first set starts at the east end, on SW Capitol Highway, and continues as I walk west to what locals call “Little Bertha.”

Entrance to the bridge, looking west, from SW Capitol Highway.

First steps onto the east end of the bridge.

Midway across the bridge, with Beaverton Hillsdale Highway to the right.

Toward the west end I met Andrew, who was about to make his maiden ride. The bridge route curves right toward Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway (for connectivity reasons, apparently), but the Red Electric trail itself continues to the left along the Little Bertha Greenway.

Andrew begins his maiden ride across the bridge.

Entrance to the Greenway on SW Bertha Blvd, “Little Bertha.”

And then I turned around and walked back.

Entrance to the bridge from the west end, with Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway to the left, and the Hillsdale shopping district through the trees.

Reaching the east end, with Capitol Highway restaurants in background.

se exit — Exit of the bridge looking southeast.

For more background on the bridge see our story from January, 2021 and also our walk-through of the Red Electric Trail with Don Baack.