Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
May 25, 2008 A pontoon bridge in the Okanagan Valley of the Canadian province of British Columbia was opened to traffic. (A pontoon bridge has floats or shallow-draft boats to support a continuous deck.) This bridge crosses Okanagan Lake and serves as a link between the cities of Kelowna and West Kelowna. This structure replaced... Continue Reading →
May 11, 2021 The final segment of a rail trail in Montgomery County in the Philadelphia metropolitan area was officially completed. This route -- known as the Pennypack Trail -- is located along the former alignment of the Fox Chase Line, a regional rail service of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). The trail owes... Continue Reading →
April 28, 1946 The start of the first six-day bicycle race to be held in the United States following the end of World War II took place inside the Chicago Coliseum. Those six-day races had become hugely popular nationwide in the years leading up to the war. A six-day race involved having teams of bicyclists compete against... Continue Reading →
During the 1880s, Elsa von Blumen firmly established herself as a formidable contender in both walking and cycling competitions throughout the United States. Von Blumen, who was originally known as Caroline “Carrie” Kiner, was born to Prussian immigrants on October 6, 1859, and grew up in Oswego County, New York. As a child, Carrie was... Continue Reading →
March 21, 1850 Trailblazing bicycle manufacturer Albert H. Overman was born in Fulton County, Illinois. Early on in life, he developed a strong interest in the mechanics of transportation. Overman said in an 1897 interview with the New York-based World newspaper, “I have all my life been engaged in experimental work connected with man-propelled machinery,... Continue Reading →
February 28, 2015 A newly built railway station was opened in the city of Delft in the Netherlands’ province of South Holland. This city has played a huge role in Dutch history over the centuries and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Netherlands. Delft -- located between Rotterdam to the southeast... Continue Reading →
February 27, 2002 A dedication ceremony was held for a pedestrian and bicycle bridge spanning Interstate 80 (I-80) in the city of Berkeley, California. “Jubilation as New Bridge Opens Car-Free Access,” announced a headline in the next day’s edition of the Oakland Tribune. This tied-arch concrete bridge, which is known as the I-80 Bicycle and... Continue Reading →
December 23, 2018 A dedication ceremony was held for the first section of a light rail transit (LRT) system in Taiwan. This system was built to provide greater access to Danhai New Town, a large residential development of Tamsui District in New Taipei City. Danhai light rail, which is operated by New Taipei Metro Corporation... Continue Reading →
December 2, 2020 In the western section of New Zealand’s North Island, a bridge for bicyclists and pedestrians was officially opened in the vicinity of the settlement of Upokongaro. The Upokongaro Cycle Bridge spans the Whanganui River. This 430-foot (130-meter) structure connects Upokongaro on the Whanganui River’s left bank with the community of Papaiti on... Continue Reading →
November 28, 1999 A track cycling arena called the Dunc Gray Velodrome was formally inaugurated in Australia’s state of New South Wales. This facility is located in the community of Bass, which is 14.3 miles (23 kilometers) southwest of the Sydney central business district. The Dunc Gray Velodrome was built to serve as the cycling... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 