Tilikum Crossing: Bridge of the People: Portland's Bridges and a New Icon

by Ira Nadel

Portland, Oregon's innovative and distinctive landmark, Tilikum Crossing Bridge of the People, is the first major bridge in the U.S, carrying trains, busses, streetcars, bicycles, and pedestrians- but no private automobiles. When regional transportation agency TriMet began planning for the first bridge to be constructed across the Willamette River since 1973, the goal was to build a something symbolic, which would represent the progressive nature of the Twenty-First Century. In this book, MacDonald captures the story of an engaging public process that involved neighborhood associations, small businesses, environmentalists, biologists, bicycling enthusiasts, designers, engineers, and Portland City Council. The result – an entirely unique bridge that increased the transportation capacity of the city while enabling Portlanders to experience their urban home in an entirely new way--car-free. Written in a friendly voice, readers will learn how Portland came to be known as "The City of Bridges" and the home to this new icon in the city's landscape. MacDonald uses 98 of his own drawings to illustrate the history of Portland river crossings. Readers will take away a deeper understanding of how our public structures come to reflect a community.

128 pages, Hardcover

Published May 15, 2018

Reviews

[Caitlin (mondaysshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beautiful inside and out! The overall design of this book is lovely and you can see the thought when creating it. One of my favorite things about this book is the illustrations inside. They really added to my reading experience. I loved learning the history of this bridge and learning what went into the building of it. As a person not from Portland, this book made me feel a connection to the city, as it gives an inside perspective. This book is fantastic for anyone interested in learning more about the city.

[Ryan Scribner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Donald MacDonald and Ira Nadel pay the toll for their readers as they guide them through Portland by means of its bridges in Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People: Portland's Bridges and a New Icon. The immersive tour that these authors provide is made possible with MacDonald’s illustrations of the river crossings and through the presentation of a city through a crossroads of civilizations and communities, bio-networks, and the politics that impacted them. Readers learn almost immediately of the inter-relatedness of land exploration and expansion and bridge development because of the city’s proximity to rivers that enabled seafaring vessels to reach port. They then learn of the thirteen bridges that define the Rose City, Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People being the last.

A nuanced, yet enjoyable interweaving of the various factors that impacted TriMet’s construction of Tilikum Crossing is explicated within this book, however, engineering and design remained the ultimate focus. As someone who knows very little about engineering and design, I appreciated the angle of MacDonald and Nadel in their work. Certainly, details like how biologists and other professional impacted the construction of the bridge through their suggestion of intensive planting on top of pile caps to deter seals establishes this book as one that is accessible to many different readers and their multitude of interests but personally, I liked that the lens none the less narrowed in on engineering hurdles and the construction process of Tilikum Crossing.

I’d recommend this book to people interested in learning about the complexity of engineering in practice and about Portland. It is a book that through its refreshing integration of different communities and politics and fields of study has the potential to explain that establishing a crossing involves an often exhaustive meeting in the middle.

[Sean Paul Lavine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful read! Tilikum Crossing: Bridge of the People by Donald MacDonald and Ira Nadel treats readers to a fascinating look at Tilikum Crossing, Portland Oregon’s newest, and award-winning bridge. From the start, the authors capture the reader’s imagination by detailing a brief, yet illuminating history of the region and its indigenous people, the Chinook. Continuing with the founding of Portland, an interesting story in its own right, the book presents a captivating historical account of the bridges that span the Willamette River. Going deeper, the authors delve into the politics, policies, engineering hurdles, and environmental concerns involved in the creation of the bridge. At 120 pages, Tilikum Crossing: Bridge of the People is as informative as it is entertaining to read. An abundance of beautifully rendered illustrations is sure to engross anyone interested in bridges, the City of Roses, or history in general. There is a lot to like in this unique and intriguing book.

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a transplant from the Bay Area, California to the PNW I was excited to see the connection between two places I absolutely love. I especially appreciated the attention Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People spent explaining some of the history of the Chinookan peoples and, later, the origin of the bridges name.
Similarly, the information about the other bridges in PDX make for an intriguing timeline of the Portland skyscape with Tilikum Crossing being a beautiful addition to that. Though this is definitely not my typical type of read, anyone interested in learning a bit about Portland history through the lens of bridges or someone who really loves gorgeous books will be interested in this. Attention to detail is not lacking. From the end pages to the illustrations, this book is beautifully designed cover to cover.

[Bryn Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

For people who love bridges, love Portland, or are simply interested in how such structures are designed. This delightful little book is filled with easy to grasp information both technical and historical. It takes you on a journey through the history of bridges in Portland. Then explains all the challenges met to create Tilikum Crossing.
I’m pretty local, and I had no idea what went into this bridge. The designers were completely conscientious of the river’s habitat, of being green to fit in with Portland, and to please the artistic eyes of the city. I now can’t wait to find the time to walk across America’s longest pedestrian bridge. It lights up in relation to the water level! How fascinating is that? Anyway, enough with the spoilers, this book is a quick read, full of interesting history and bridge building facts; plus it includes several illustrations from the architect.

[Eve Echternach · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read filled with historical significance specific to the Portland area! The intermingling of bridges in our local history was explored in a very fascinating way, with illustrations sprinkled along with the text.
The overall design of the book was also amazing. I especially enjoyed the repetition of the Tilikum Crossing throughout the design. The reflection in the introductory pages, cover, and pages in between were a work of art all in its own right.
"Bridge of the People" was truly stressed throughout by delving into the history of the Chinookan peoples rather than the eurocentric aspect that Portland usually focuses on. Adding richer culture and historical significance to the bridge and area in which it is located truly paints a picture with recognition and detail that is not usually explored.

[Vee Cowart · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing that grabbed me was the illustrations and easy-to-read layout. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that it wasn’t just a lump of text thrown together as a list of facts. The book itself is as well-designed as the bridge!

But this is more than just a book, it’s an intimate look at one of Portland’s most popular bridges, Tilikum Crossing. This book takes a look at the history of the bridge (and a brief look at others, such as the Marquam Bridge), and gives us a real peek into everything that went into creating this car-free bridge.

Even if you’re not into architecture or bridges, this is a great piece for anyone wanting to feel more connected to the area in a fun and informative way.

[Massey Barner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story behind the making of the Tilikum bridge is such that it deserves its story to be told this way. The drawings, all hand-drawn by the architect of the bridge himself, add a fun insight to the competing ideas that went in to the making of the final product. The history behind the river was something that not even Portland natives might know, and provided a clear and direct relationship between the bridge and the nature surrounding it. For the city that Portland is, this bridge is beautiful, and so much thought and consideration went in to creating a real bridge for the people. A beautiful table book, and definitely worth a thorough read.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is truly a work of art on its own, nearly as striking as its namesake. It offers such insight into one of the hallmarks of Portland and helps to capture the design and building process. The detailed drawings throughout are also so much fun to look at - you feel like you’re really getting an inside look at the construction of Tilikum Crossing. As someone without a design or architecture background, I was still captivated by the detail offered in MacDonald’s account. All in all, this is an excellent way to commemorate such an important part of Portland’s history and artistic presence.

[CBM · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book were more than informative. They were absolutely delightful! Most were done by the architect himself and offer an absolutely unique perspective into Portland’s history. The book also includes an entire chapter on the architect’s dedication to respecting the environment and local wildlife during Tilikum Crossing's construction, which I greatly appreciated. This book is perfect for the aspiring architect, trivia buff, art collector, environmentalist, but mostly its perfect for anyone who has held Portland close to their heart.

[Courtney Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was younger I wanted to be an architect. Though that aspiration led to new dreams, I still greatly admire architecture in every form. Bridges have always fascinated me, as I myself have never fully understood how to make one work. Tilikum Crossing provides excellent illustrations of how and why bridges work and their significance in the Portland area. It enriches the history of Portland and is a great read for anyone appreciates grand architecture.

[Jason Mekkam · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love most about this book is how accessible it is. I've never been a fan of books design because often their technicality doesn't arouse my curiosity. But this book is as much about art, history and culture as it is about geography, science and logistics. I'd recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about Portland.

[Saqif Maqsud · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of book you can read on a boring rainy day, when you are stuck inside the house. Although, I guess one would have to be from Portland or have some knowledge of the city. In addition, if you have a minor interest in Civil Engineering or just love structures, this is a fruitful read.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very aesthetically pleasing book that contains information on how Portland's iconic bridges came to be. As a Californian I had a terribly hard time figuring out each bridge's name and why it mattered. This book was an informative and fun way to learn about Portland's history.