Foresthill Bridge while under construction.
The Auburn-Foresthill Bridge, which soars 730 feet above the stream bed of the American River’s north fork opened for public use on Labor Day, 1973. The 2,428 feet long span, with piers only 16 feet shorter than those of the Golden Gate was built at the cost of $13 million by the Bureau of Reclamation. The bridge was constructed as a replacement for the existing Auburn-Foresthill bridge which was to have been inundated by the filling of the Auburn Dam Reservoir. This was to have occurred by 1983; (only the earthwork was started and as of August, 2003, the dam has not been built). As reported in the Sept. 1973 Placer GOLD, “Driving sounds were provided by the Placer High School Pep Band, . . .Bertha, the elephant of John Ascuaga’s Nugget and Koley, the Cool Mule of the Gold Rush Dude Ranch were led down opposite lanes of the bridge. . whereupon they snapped the red ribbon, marking the official opening of the bridge as well as symbolizing the bi-partisan effort . . .the Wells Fargo stagecoach led the procession. . .