The Murray Morgan Bridge is also known as the 11th Street Bridge, but originally was the City Waterway Bridge. It is a somewhat uncommon bridge because it is a vertical-lift bridge. Which means that is raises straight up, unlike a typical draw bridge that folds open. The original bridge in 1894 was a swing span bridge, which was replaced in 1913 with the vertical-lift bridge. This is important for connecting the tide flats to downtown. It spans the Thea Foss Waterway which was called the City Waterway.The bridge has unusual features: higher above the water than most lift bridges, construction on a variable grade& an overhead span designed to carry a water pipe.It also had a wooden road that connected what is now Cliff St. with Dock St. WSDOT wanted to tear it down, but the City got the State to transfer ownership to them. In 2007 it was closed due to safety concerns . Citizens of Tacoma fought the demolition on a historic basis & won. In 2010 peds & bikes were allowed & in 2013 it fully reopened. It was renamed in 1997 to honor Murray Morgan. There is an elevator & stairs that connect Dock St. & the bridge level on 11th St. To lessen environmental impact the H2O runoff is routed to tanks to contribute to a rain garden on the E. side. It is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.~ #Tacoma #253 #GritCity #CityOfDestiny #TacomaWashington #tacomawa #TacomaHistory #murraymorganbridge #LeeHeath @tacomatalks (at Murray Morgan Bridge)
