[7] Later in 1891, the Oregon state legislature organized eight Portland residents into a committee that purchased the bridge on November 18, 1891, for $145,000 (equivalent to $3,825,315 in 2015) and eliminated the tolls.

[6] The following year, the committee won approval from the United States Secretary of War for a contract to build the Burnside Bridge nearby.

[13] Because of the estimated high cost, replacement of the swing span had been postponed,[13] with predictions that it might hold on for another year or two.

However, in July 1900, it was declared unsafe by the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners,[14] and plans to replace it with a new swing-type draw span were accelerated.

By 1907, planning was under way for the bridge to be replaced by a new structure that would be positioned at a higher elevation over the water[19][20] and be constructed of steel instead of wood.

In June 1907, voters approved a measure to issue $450,000 in municipal bonds to fund construction of a new bridge.

[5][21] On January 20, 1909, the bridge was closed indefinitely to all traffic, after high river levels had caused debris to accumulate around its piers, placing strain on the structure.