Up by the “River”

Biggest draw at the opening event last week was the rare chance to explore the

deck of the northbound bridge before it opened to traffic. Hundreds of people patiently
waited in line and carefully climbed six flights of stairs to enjoy big-sky
views and admire the recently installed “River” sculpture by artist Lillian
Pitt.

River is a
42-foot-long stainless steel depiction of a river and canoe flanked by camas
flowers and cattails that runs between the north- and southbound bridges. Etched
into the concrete pedestal below are the names of the nine tribes that make up
the Kalapuya tribe, which today is a member of the Confederated Tribes of the
Grand Ronde. Lillian Pitt herself is a descendent of Wasco, Yakama and Warm
Springs people, the only Native American among the three sculptors chosen to
create the above-deck design enhancements.

Many
configurations of friends and family members posed for photos with the
sculpture as backdrop on the historic occasion, and Pitt, sitting nearby to
answer questions about her work, happily joined them whenever asked.

As the summer
advances, look for two unique versions of camas baskets, also sculpted from
steel and each more than 20 feet high, to join River at the approach to each
span.

Opening event attendees read about design enhancements and admire the views atop the new bridge.