Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
September 26, 1981 On the southern coast of mainland Singapore, a viaduct was officially opened to the public. This bridge, which stands at the western end of the East Coast Parkway, carries motor vehicles as well as pedestrians over the Marina Reservoir in that region of Singapore. The bridge was named after Benjamin Sheares, who... Continue Reading →
September 8, 1955 After four years of construction, a steel tied-arch bridge in the city of Wheeling in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle was officially opened. This four-lane bridge crosses a section of the Ohio River between Wheeling Island (within that city’s boundaries) and downtown Wheeling. (This city – the fifth largest in West Virginia –... Continue Reading →
August 26, 1844 A newly completed bridge spanning the River Irwell in northwestern England was opened to the public. This bridge serves as a link between the cities of Salford and Manchester. It was named after Prince Albert, Prince Consort of the United Kingdom and the husband of Queen Victoria. Albert Bridge took the place... Continue Reading →
August 22, 2015 A bridge for pedestrians and bicyclists was opened in the Christianshavn neighborhood of Copenhagen. This structure, which was formally named the Circle Bridge, spans the southern mouth of the Christianshavn Canal in Denmark’s capital city. The 130-foot (40-meter)-long Circle Bridge encompasses a total of five round platforms. Each of these platforms has... Continue Reading →
July 19, 1932 A bascule (moveable) truss bridge in the city of Grafton in Australia’s state of New South Wales (NSW) was formally opened. Sir Isaac Isaacs (1855-1948), who served as governor-general of Australia from 1931 to 1936, officiated at this dedication ceremony. The Grafton Bridge carries Bent Street (formerly known as Summerland Way) over... Continue Reading →
July 11, 2008 In eastern Poland, a long-awaited bridge in the city of Pulawy was officially opened. This arch bridge, which spans the Vistula (the country’s longest river), carries motor vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Construction on the bridge began on March 7, 2006. The European Regional Development Fund helped provide financing for this project. Those... Continue Reading →
June 28, 2015 An apostrophe-shaped, cantilevered swing bridge built for pedestrians and bicyclists only was officially opened in the port city and unitary authority of Kingston upon Hull (also known simply as Hull) in northeastern England. This bridge spans the local harbor, which connects with the River Humber, and serves as a link between Scale... Continue Reading →
June 23, 1964 The Theodore Roosevelt Bridge, which spans the Potomac River and serves as a highway link between Washington, D.C., and Virginia, was officially dedicated. Plans for a new bridge across this section of the Potomac River first took significant shape during the early 1950s. Finally, in 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into... Continue Reading →
June 13, 1888 Construction on a swing-span railroad bridge spanning the body of water known as the Arthur Kill and linking Staten Island, New York, with mainland New Jersey was completed at 3:00 p.m. At the time, the 800-foot (240-meter)-long Arthur Kill Bridge was the world’s largest drawbridge. It was also the only land connection to Staten... Continue Reading →
June 6, 1933 More than two years after construction on it had begun, a bridge spanning a section of the Nile River in Egypt’s capital city of Cairo was officially opened. This bridge was inaugurated by King Fuad I (1868-1936), who served as ruler of Egypt from 1917 until his death in 1936. (He served... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 