Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
October 3, 1923 A vehicular bridge in southern England’s town of Reading was inaugurated on a Wednesday marked by both rain and strong winds. The next day’s edition of the London-based Daily Telegraph reported on the debut of this structure. This newspaper stated, “With as much civic pomp as the wretched weather would permit the... Continue Reading →
September 24, 2004 In the westernmost region of Slovenia, a vehicular bridge crossing the Osp Valley and located near the village of Črni Kal was first opened to traffic. The Črni Kal Viaduct, which is part of the 152.4-mile (245.3-kilometer)-long A1 motorway (also called Slovenika), was jointly designed by Janez Kožel and Marjan Pipenbaher. Construction... Continue Reading →
September 23, 2017 The Taiping Sky Bridge in Meishan Township of southwestern Taiwan’s Chiayi County was opened for regular use by pedestrians. Measuring 921.9 feet (281 meters) in length, this footbridge holds the record as Taiwan’s longest suspension bridge. A little over a month after the Taiping Sky Bridge first went into daily service, it... Continue Reading →
September 19, 1981 A bridge spanning the Saint John River in Fredericton, the capital city of the Canadian province of New Brunswick was officially dedicated. This bridge is an extension of Westmorland Street in the central district of Fredericton and it connects that area with New Brunswick Route 105 in the city’s neighborhood of Nashwaaksis.... Continue Reading →
September 17, 1862 An unimposing bridge in Maryland played a pivotal role in one of the most significant battles of the American Civil War. The Battle of Antietam, which was fought near the town of Sharpsburg, was the first major military engagement of that war to take place on Union soil. This battle also encompassed the... Continue Reading →
September 10, 1965 The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, located 10 miles (16 kilometers) northwest of the New Mexico town of Taos, was dedicated. Approximately 4,000 people were on hand for the grand opening of this steel deck arch bridge. Jack M. Campbell (1916-1999), who served as governor of New Mexico from 1963 to 1967, cut... Continue Reading →
August 21, 1982 A tied-arch bridge crossing a section of the Mississippi River between Iowa and Wisconsin was officially opened. This bridge connects the Iowa city of Dubuque with the Wisconsin town of Jamestown. The Cedar Rapids Gazette noted that “sunny skies greeted the structure’s debut.” More than 6,000 people turned out for the grand... Continue Reading →
July 31, 1962 A steel beam bridge in Washington, D.C., was officially opened. This bridge was built to carry the 12th Street Expressway over the Washington Channel, a body of water that parallels the Potomac River. Originally known as the Washington Channel Bridge, this structure was inaugurated with considerable fanfare. These festivities, which included a... Continue Reading →
July 14, 2012 A bridge for pedestrians and cyclists in Portland, Oregon, made its public debut. This structure is officially named the US Congresswoman Darlene Hooley Pedestrian Bridge at Gibbs Street. Hooley, who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon from 1997 to 2009, had staunchly championed the construction of... Continue Reading →
July 2, 1971 In west-central Scotland, the Erskine Bridge was formally opened. This cable-stayed box girder bridge, which crosses the River Clyde, serves as a link between the local government council areas of West Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire. (The bridge is located in the vicinity of the Renfrewshire town of Erskine.) The Erskine Bridge was designed... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 