Bridging Nutty Narrows
Every year, an estimated 41 million squirrels become roadkill, as they scurry between busy streets to find food sources. This would not stand for Amos Peters, a Longview, Washington architect who rose to local fame for his 1963 creation: the Nutty Narrows Squirrel Pedestrian Bridge. Peters and his colleagues at the Park Plaza office building, along Longview’s Olympia Way, often witnessed area squirrels being run over by cars. One day, he found a dead squirrel with a nut in his mouth, and a group of his colleagues decided it was finally time to intervene. Together, they came up with the idea of the squirrel bridge, forming a committee to ask the City Council’s blessing. The first Nutty Narrows bridge was 60 feet in length and made from aluminum and fire hose, costing just $1,000. Soon, the bridge became a tourist attraction, and the city began receiving reports of the mammals successfully crossing the road, even escorting their young and teaching them the ropes.Bottom of Form
This inspiration continued, with a total of nine squirrel bridges now in operation in Longview. The original Nutty Narrows bridge still resides on Olympia Way, though it was taken down and repaired in 1983 after 20 years of use. According to Longview, Chip and Dale and Mickey Mouse visited all the way from Disneyland, along with 300 children, to re-dedicate the bridge. Just four years later, Peters died, and a 10-foot wooden squirrel sculpture was added to the original bridge in honor of his dedication to the project. The nine other bridges are now scattered throughout Longview, and as of July 2026, the squirrel bridge project has expanded to the neighboring city of Duvall, where locals now have a bridge of their own. The latest bridge was spearheaded by Duvall resident Nikita Kozhekin, who lives next to the crossing and watched countless squirrels run for their lives across the road.
“It’s a major hazard for all wild animals, the road crossings,” Kozhekin told KING 5 News. He added that the bridge isn’t just good for wildlife — it helps drivers too, since people often swerve when they spot a squirrel in the road. “All she wanted was to carry the hazelnut across the street and hide it somewhere. Is that really too much to ask?” Kozhekin wrote on his website. “Douglas squirrels are small squirrels native and endemic to the Pacific Northwest coastal areas,” he wrote. “In fact, they are not found anywhere else in the world. They need protection — as do all squirrels and all animals.” The Douglas B. Squirrel Memorial Bridge is a simple rope connected by two trees. After a bit of early skepticism, it seems to be working. After a week, the squirrels discovered the bridge and now cross frequently, Kozhekin said. He even set up a trail camera to capture footage of the squirrels on the bridge, sharing it on social media. It’s a simple solution developed over 60 years ago — one squirrel enthusiasts of all stripes can get behind. “Imagine a world where every tree on every street is connected by bridges, where millions of crossings span the sky, and habitats are safe and connected,” Kozhekin wrote on his website. “How wonderful would that be?”
Squirrely humor
What do you call a female squirrel?
A “Girrel.”
Friend: man, you got to help me. I hit a squirrel driving my car. I feel awful, what should I do?
Me: Why’d you let it drive your car in the first place?
Where do squirrels go in a hurricane?
All over the place!
What is the difference between a rat and a squirrel?
Answer: The puffy tail.
Moral: Never underestimate the power of marketing.
July 23rd Birthdays
1923 – Estelle Getty, 1997 – Danielle Bradbury, 1971 – Alison Krauss, 1971 – Charisma Carpenter
1972 – Marlan Wayans, 1990 – Daniel Radcliffe, 1954 – Walter Payton, 1962 – Woody Harrelson