Talmadge Memorial Bridge
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| Talmadge Memorial Bridge | |
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| Official name | Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge |
| Carries | U.S. Route 17 to I-16 |
| Crosses | Savannah River |
| Locale | Savannah, Georgia |
| Maintained by | Georgia Department of Transportation |
| Design | cable-stayed bridge |
| Longest span | 1,100 feet (335 m) |
| Total length | 1.9 miles (3.06 km) |
| Clearance below | 185 feet |
| Opening date | November 1990 |
| Coordinates | |
The Talmadge Memorial Bridge is a bridge in the United States that spans the Savannah River between downtown Savannah, Georgia, and the neighboring state of South Carolina. [1]
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[edit] History
Completed in November 1990, the new Talmadge Memorial cable-stayed bridge replaced the old Talmadge cantilever truss bridge (built in 1953), which had become a danger for large ships entering the Port of Savannah, the largest single terminal container port on the U.S. eastern seaboard.
[edit] Tribute to Eugene Talmadge
The structure is dedicated to Eugene Talmadge, who served as Governor of Georgia in 1933-37 and 1941-43.
The new bridge was originally named for the Creek leader Tomochichi, an important figure in Savannah's founding in 1733. After public forums on the issue, the original name was restored for the new structure. The vertical supports of the original Talmadge bridge still stand and can be seen in the photo on the left.
[edit] Dimensions
The new bridge provides 185 ft. (56.4 m.) of vertical navigational clearance for oceangoing vessels. Its horizontal clearance is 1,023 feet, with both main piers located on the north and south banks of the Savannah River. With a main span of 1100 ft. (335 m.) and a total length of 1.9 miles (3.06 km.), the new Talmadge Memorial carries four lanes of traffic. [2]
[edit] Comparison with Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge
The proximity and rivalry between Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah often lead to comparisons between the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge and the Talmadge Memorial Bridge. Completed fifteen years later, the Arthur Ravenel, Jr., Bridge is actually only one foot taller. Unlike the Talmadge Memorial Bridge, however, the Ravenel Bridge also has an access for pedestrians.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Bridges over the Savannah Harbor, Georgia Department of Transportation
- ^ Eugene Talmadge Bridge, Georgia @ SouthEastRoads.com - U.S. Highway 17
[edit] See also
- Eugene Talmadge
- Georgia General Assembly
- Jim Gillis Historic Savannah Parkway
- List of Governors of Georgia
- List of United States Senators from Georgia
- Savannah, Georgia
- U.S. Route 17
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