New River Gorge Bridge
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| New River Gorge Bridge | |
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| Carries | U.S. Highway 19 ("Mountaineer Expressway") |
|---|---|
| Crosses | New River, CSX railway |
| Locale | Fayetteville, West Virginia |
| Maintained by | West Virginia Department of Transportation [1] |
| Design | Arch |
| Longest span | 1700 ft (518 m) |
| Total length | 3030 ft (924 m) |
| Width | 69.3 ft (21.1 m), 4 lanes with center divider |
| Vertical clearance | Deck arch, unlimited clearance |
| Clearance below | 876 feet (267 m) |
| AADT | 17,000 vehicles/day |
| Opening date | October 22, 1977 |
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The New River Gorge Bridge is a steel-arch bridge, near Fayetteville, West Virginia; with a length of 3030 feet (924 m), it was for many years the longest in the world of that type.[1] Its arch extends 1700 feet (518 m). Part of US Highway 19, it is crossed by an average of 17,000 motor vehicles per day. Its construction marked the completion of "Appalachian Corridor L".
The New River Gorge Bridge carries U.S. Highway 19 over the New River at a height of 876 feet (267 m), making it the highest vehicular bridge in the Americas, and the second-highest in the world. (Before the 2004 opening of the Millau Viaduct in France, it was the highest in the world.)[2]
Construction was begun on the bridge in June of 1974, and completed on October 22, 1977. It was designed by the Michael Baker Company, under the direction of Chief Engineer Clarence V. Knudsen, and executed by U.S. Steel's American Bridge Division. Final cost of construction was $37 million (approximately $4 million over bid). It is made from Cor-ten steel. The use of Cor-ten in construction presented several challenges; notable among them was ensuring that the weld-points weathered at the same rate as the rest of the steel.
Many locals say, with little exaggeration, that completion of the bridge cut the travel time from one side of the gorge to another from 45 minutes to 45 seconds.
The bridge is the centerpiece of Fayette County's "Bridge Day," during which the bridge is closed to vehicular traffic. Until recently, the bridge was half-open, with two way traffic. Security concerns have prompted the closing the entire span to vehicles. This festival includes demonstrations of rappelling, ascending & BASE jumping, and is held every October on the third Saturday. Bungee jumping has been banned from Bridge Day since an accident in 1993. The bridge is within the New River Gorge National River and the National Park Service operates a visitor center at the northern end of the bridge with scenic overlooks and a staircase that partially descends into the gorge.
BASE jumper Brian Lee Schubert, 66, of Alta Loma, California, died during Bridge Day 2006 (Oct 21st) when his chute failed to open in time.[3] He was pronounced dead at the scene. His death was the first that occurred during BASE jumping at the New River Gorge Bridge Day Festival since 1987, and only the third ever. One other BASE jumper was killed while performing an illegal, non Bridge Day related jump.
The West Virginia state quarter, released in 2005, features an image of this bridge.
[edit] Notes
- ^ The Lupu Bridge in Shanghai, completed February 8, 2003, is now the longest steel-arch bridge by 105 feet (32 m), although the New River Gorge Bridge remains the longest of its particular type.
- ^ The Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado (a suspension bridge), in the United States has a higher deck than either the New River Gorge Bridge or the Millau Viaduct, at 321 m (1,053 ft) above the Arkansas River.
- ^ Californian Dies in Bridge Day Jump When Chute Fails to Open in Time. Huntington News (2006). Retrieved on October 23, 2006.
[edit] See also
- Midland Trail a National Scenic Byway nearby, connecting to Interstate 64 near Charleston (western end) and at Sam Black Church (eastern end)
[edit] External links
- History Of Bridge Day
- Web page of the Bridge Day Festival
- Bridge Day - Registration and Information
- Roadstothefuture.com Bridge info site
- [2] raftblog.com
