Tower Bridge (California)
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| Tower Bridge | |
 The Tower Bridge just after sunset. |
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| Carries | Cars, Pedestrians, and previously railroad |
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| Crosses | Sacramento River |
| Locale | Sacramento, California |
| Maintained by | California Department of Transportation |
| Design | vertical lift bridge |
| Total length | 737 feet (225 m) |
| Width | 52 feet (16 m) |
| Clearance below | 100 feet (30.5 m) above high water |
| Opening date | December 15, 1935 |
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The Tower Bridge is a vertical lift bridge located in Sacramento, California, United States, that crosses the Sacramento River. It was previously a part of U.S. Highway 40 until all of the highway west of Salt Lake City was decommissioned. It is now part of California State Highway 275.
[edit] History
In March 1926, construction was completed on the M Street Bridge in Sacramento. Seven years later, in 1933, the city realized that it needed a better crossing over the Sacramento River in case of war, and that the existing bridge was highly inadequate to handle heavy traffic. On December 22, 1933, the State of California, Sacramento County, and the Sacramento Northern Electric Railroad (Later the Sacramento Northern Railway) held a conference to plan the new bridge. It was to be 52 feet (16 m) wide, with four lanes for cars, and one large center lane for trains. On December 15, 1935, then-governor Frank Merriam dedicated the bridge.
Currently, the bridge is used for pedestrian and vehicle traffic only.
[edit] Miscellany
- The Tower Bridge was the first vertical lift bridge in the California Highway System.
- The towers are 160 feet (49 m) tall.
- For years the bridge was painted silver, but people complained about glare off the bridge. In June 1976 it was painted its current shade of gold to match the dome on the State Capitol.
- In 2001, as the old paint job could hardly be distinguished, the residents of Sacramento who lived within 35 miles of the capital voted on a new color scheme for the historic bridge. The choices were burgundy, green, silver and gold; or all gold. The winning color was the historic scheme of all gold. It was repainted in 2002, and this coat is expected to last 30 years.
