Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
February 13, 1901 In the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), a timber truss bridge crossing Paterson River at the township of Hinton was officially opened. Hinton Bridge was designed by Irish-born Ernest de Burgh (1863-1929), the NSW Public Works Department’s assistant engineer for bridges. This road bridge replaced a steam ferry service in... Continue Reading →
January 31, 1862 A railway bridge was inaugurated in an area of western England that is now entirely within the county of Worcestershire. This bridge, which went into regular service the day after it was it was officially opened, crosses the River Severn between the village of Upper Arley (part of the county of Staffordshire... Continue Reading →
January 24, 2019 In the western section of London, a newly completed pedestrian bridge in the city’s district of Chiswick was officially opened. Chiswick Park Footbridge is located just north of Gunnersbury Triangle Nature Reserve. This 114.8 (35-meter)-long bridge serves as a connection between Chiswick Business Park, a development that encompasses the London-area offices of... Continue Reading →
January 11, 1961 In New York City, a comparatively low-key dedication was held for a suspension bridge that crosses the East River and serves as a link between the neighborhoods of Throggs Neck in the Bronx and Bay Terrace in Queens. “The Throgs Neck Bridge was opened yesterday with no speeches, little fanfare and not... Continue Reading →
January 6, 1922 Construction began on a suspension bridge that would cross the Delaware River and serve as a link between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey. As part of the festivities marking the start of work on this structure (originally known as the Delaware River Bridge), a salute of 17 guns was fired from... Continue Reading →
December 27, 1893 A pivotal test ride took place for a newly completed truss railroad bridge in eastern-central Missouri. This four-span truss bridge, crossing the Missouri River at Bellefontaine Bluffs and serving as a link between Charles County and St. Louis County in the Show-Me State, had been built for the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy... Continue Reading →
December 21, 1926 The Ross Island Bridge in Portland, Oregon, was opened in what the Associated Press (AP) called “a fitting dedicatory ceremony.” This cantilever truss bridge, which carries U.S. Route 26 (Mount Hood Highway) across a section of the Willamette River between the southwest and southeast parts of Portland, is approximately 800 feet... Continue Reading →
December 14, 2006 A bridge in Amman, the capital and largest city of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, made its formal debut. This 1,368-foot (417-meter)-long structure, which is the only cable-stayed bridge in Jordan, crosses Wadi Aboun -- a stream bed with a small artery road running through it -- and serves as a link... Continue Reading →
December 9, 2018 In the northern part of Norway, the Hålogaland Bridge in Narvik Municipality made its formal debut. This suspension bridge crosses the mouth of the fjord known as the Rombaken. The Hålogaland Bridge carries European Route E6, a major north-south thoroughfare for Norway as well as the western coast of Sweden, across that... 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 →
Transportation History 