Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing
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| Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing | |
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 Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing |
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| Carries | Highway 1 |
| Crosses | Burrard Inlet |
| Design | steel truss cantilever bridge |
| Longest span | 335 metres (1,100 ft) |
| Total length | 1,292 metres (4,240 ft) |
| Beginning date of construction | 1957 |
| Opening date | August 25, 1960 |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
The Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, originally called and still commonly called the Second Narrows Bridge, is the second bridge constructed at the Second (east) Narrows of Burrard Inlet in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It connects Vancouver to the north shore of Burrard Inlet, which includes the District of North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, and West Vancouver. It was constructed adjacent to the original Second Narrows Bridge, which is now exclusively a rail bridge.
The bridge is a steel truss cantilever bridge, designed by Swan Wooster Engineering Co. Ltd. Construction began in November of 1957. A junior engineer doing the calculations for the bridge box steel footings, underestimated the strength of material needed to support the span. As as result, when a crane stretched out southward from the northside into the gap to join the two chords of the unfinished arch, the combined weight of the bridge steel and crane collapsed the half built bridge. The bridge was rebuilt and officially opened on August 25, 1960. It cost approximately $15 million to build.
The bridge is 1292 metres (4239 ft) long with a centre span of 335 m (1099 ft). It is part of the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1).
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[edit] Renaming
The bridge was renamed the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing in 1994 to honour the 27 workers that lost their lives during its construction. On June 17, 1958, several spans of the new bridge collapsed, and 79 workers plunged 30 metres (100 ft) into the water. Eighteen were killed either instantly or shortly thereafter, possibly drowned by their heavy tool belts. A diver searching for bodies drowned later, bringing the total fatalities for the collapse to 19. In a subsequent Royal Commission inquiry, the bridge collapse was attributed to human error on the part of one of the engineers who died at the scene. A temporary arm, holding the fifth anchor span, was deemed too light to bear the weight.[1]
Stompin' Tom Connors paid a musical tribute to the fallen ironworkers with the song "The Bridge Came Tumbling Down" on his 1972 album My Stompin' Grounds. (This tune also appears on several later compilations).
Gary Geddes' 2007 book of poetry, entitled False Work is based on the collapse of the bridge.
Jimmy Dean's 1962 song "Steel Men" is a ballad about the Second Narrows bridge disaster.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- History of Metropolitan Vancouver
- Satellite image of the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing and Second Narrows Bridge
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