The Beebee Bridge carries US 97 over the Columbia River below the town of Chelan. Prior to the mid 1980's US 97 between Wenatchee and Chelan was located on the west bank of the Columbia River. The road now known as US 97 was then SR 151. The Beebee Bridge was on SR 151. At this end of the Beebee Bridge SR 151 made an abrupt left turn and climbed the bank to the town of Chelan where it joined US 97. For many years a "water route" bypassing Chelan had been contemplated so through traffic didn't have to climb the hill into Knapp Coulee south of Chelan. In the mid 1980's a 6 mile section of highway was completed on the west bank of the Columbia between the Beebee Bridge and US 97 north of Chelan. US 97 was rerouted via this new road and SR 151 was decommissioned. Former US 97 was now signed as Alternate US 97, and former SR 151 between the Beebee Bridge and Chelan became part of SR 150.

The current bridge was built by the state in the 1960's when Rocky Reach Dam was built. Visible to the right of the bridge is one of the towers from the original privately owned suspension bridge at this site.

Picture taken July 1998.


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