Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
June 30, 2004 In the Republic of Ireland, the initial stage of the Luas light rail system in and around the capital city of Dublin went into service at 3:00 p.m. (“Luas” is the Irish word for “speed.”) The first segment of Luas to open was its Green Line, which ran at the time between the suburb... Continue Reading →
June 29, 1934 Joseph Adamowicz (1893-1970) and his younger brother Benjamin Adamowicz (1898-1979) began an ambitious airborne journey from North America to Europe. They are believed to be among the first (if not the first) amateur pilots to undertake any kind of transatlantic flight. The brothers, flying a monoplane known as City of Warsaw, made... Continue Reading →
June 26, 2009 The cruise ship MS Azura, which had been built by the Trieste-based company Fincantieri S.p.A. at its shipyard in the town and comune of Monfalcone in northern Italy, was launched with a great deal of fanfare. (Fincantieri is the largest shipbuilder in Europe and the fourth largest in the world.) Azura was... Continue Reading →
June 25, 2015 A highway tunnel named Legacy Way made its official debut in the city of Brisbane in the Australian state of Queensland. In keeping with an announcement that had been made by Lord Mayor Graham Quirk of Brisbane, the 2.9-mile (4.6-kilometer) tunnel was not actually opened to traffic until late that night. Legacy... Continue Reading →
June 24, 2017 The Klingle Valley Trail for pedestrians and bicyclists was inaugurated in northwest Washington, D.C. Muriel Bowser, mayor of the District of Columbia, cut a ribbon to formally open the 0.7-mile (1.1-kilometer) paved path. Other public officials in attendance included Leif Dormsjo, director of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). Construction on the... Continue Reading →
June 23, 1998 Bangabandhu Bridge, which crosses the Jamuna River in north-central Bangladesh, made its debut. This road-rail bridge serves as a key link between the upazila (administrative region) of Bhuapur on the east side of the Jamuna River and the city of Sirajganj on the river’s west bank. Bangabandhu Bridge was officially opened by... Continue Reading →
June 22, 1942 Less than seven months after the U.S. entry in World War II, construction began on one of the U.S. Navy tugboats that would serve in that global military conflict. This vessel was USS Kiowa, which was named after a Native American tribe of the Great Plains. Kiowa was constructed by the Charleston... Continue Reading →
June 19, 1999 A new lighthouse first went into service at the village of Oluvil on the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka. Oluvil Lighthouse was officially inaugurated by M.H.M Ashraff, Sri Lanka’s minister for port development, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. A cylindrical concrete tower, the 79-foot (24-meter)-tall lighthouse was built as part of the planned development... Continue Reading →
June 18, 2018 As work on a suspension pedestrian bridge in Australia neared completion, the LED lighting on that new structure was officially tested for the first time. This Monday evening trial run, according to the West Australian newspaper, was held “with the inclement weather failing to dampen the colorful display.” The bridge crosses over... Continue Reading →
June 17, 1970 A major milestone for the Kansas State Highway Commission took place when the final section of Interstate 70 in the Sunflower State was formally opened. (The Kansas State Highway Commission remained in existence until 1975, when it was replaced by the present-day Kansas Department of Transportation.) The last part of I-70 to... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 