Grand Canyon Skywalk
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The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a tourist attraction, commissioned by the Hualapai, under construction along the Colorado River on the edge of the Grand Canyon.
Upon completion, the glass bridge will be suspended 3,800 feet above the canyon, a height that eclipses the world's largest skyscrapers.[1] The bridge's walls and floor will be of clear glass of 4 inch thickness. The horseshoe shaped bridge will protrude 65 feet from the edge of the canyon. The Skywalk will be able to hold 70 tons of weight, allowing for 800 people weighing 175 lbs. each to stand on the bridge. The allowed capacity will be limited to only 120 persons. All visitors will be provided with shoe covers to protect them from slipping and to prevent scratching of the glass floor.
In addition to tuned mass dampers used to minimize vibration from wind and pedestrians, the bridge will be built to withstand extremely high winds and earthquakes. The glass bridge construction of the Skywalk began March of 2004. It will be rolled onto the edge of the canyon between February 27 and March 2, 2007 after passing several days of final testing to replicate weather, strength and endurance conditions of its final destination. The Skywalk will open to the public on March 28, 2007.
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[edit] References
- ^ Bright, Adam M.. "Skywalk to offer thrilling Grand Canyon view", CNN.com, Thursday, May 11, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-05-13.