Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
December 9, 2005 The Sunniberg Bridge near eastern Switzerland’s Alpine village of Klosters was officially opened to vehicular traffic nine years after its completion. (“Sunniberg” means “sunny mountain” in German.) This curved multi-span extradosed bridge – a structure that blends the main components of both a cable-stayed bridge and a prestressed box girder bridge –... Continue Reading →
November 25, 1823 The Royal Suspension Chain Pier in Brighton on England’s southeastern coast was opened. This pier was the first major one to be built at that seaside resort. Widely known as the Chain Pier, it was designed by civil engineer (and Royal Navy veteran) Samuel Brown (1776-1852). Brown was a trailblazer when it... Continue Reading →
November 14, 1938 After two days of being made available exclusively for pedestrians to cross, the newly completed Lions Gate Bridge in the Canadian province of British Columbia was first opened to vehicular traffic. This suspension bridge traverses the First Narrows of Burrard Inlet and links the city of Vancouver with the North Shore municipalities... Continue Reading →
October 9, 2022 In the Australian state of Western Australia (WA), an underground commuter railway station at Perth Airport was officially opened. This station is part of Transperth, the public transportation system for WA’s capital city of Perth and the surrounding area. Airport Central railway station is specifically located at terminals one and two of... Continue Reading →
October 1, 2005 A light rail station in the Fruitdale neighborhood of San Jose, California, made its official debut. This station, which was built near the intersection of Fruitdale Avenue and Southwest Expressway, is a link in the Santa Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light rail system serving that region of the Golden State. Fruitdale station... Continue Reading →
September 12, 1998 In the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon, a light rail station in the Quatama area of the city of Hillsboro was officially opened. Originally known as Quatama/NW 205th Avenue Station, this facility is part of the regional light rail system known as the Metropolitan Area Express (MAX). This station is the eighth... Continue Reading →
August 26, 2006 Forsyth station, part of the St. Louis MetroLink system, first went into service. This station, which was one of six on that light rail station to be opened on the same day, is located underneath the intersection of Forest Park Parkway and Forsyth Boulevard in the St. Louis suburb of University City.... Continue Reading →
July 17, 2024 In southern Italy, operations officially began for a new segment of the rapid transit system serving the city of Naples. The start of regular service for this extension of Line 6 of the Naples Metro took place the day after Gaetano Manfredi, who has been mayor of the city since 2021, joined... Continue Reading →
June 18, 1972 Arroios station on what is now the Green Line of the Lisbon Metro, the rapid transit system operating in the metropolitan area centered on Portugal’s capital city, first went into service. Arroios, the area where this station is located, is a frequesia (civil parish) and district of Lisbon. The station, which was... Continue Reading →
June 13, 2024 La Dhuys station on Line 11 of the Paris Métro rapid transit system made its debut. This station was one of six built as part of a 3.7-mile (six-kilometer) extension of Line 11. All of these stations were opened to the public on the same date. (Paris Métro is among the French... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 