Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
June 3, 2017 Construction began on a regional rail station in Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood. This station, which is located on Blue Hill Avenue at Woodhaven Street, was built as part of the Fairmount Line of the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) Commuter Rail system. Blue Hill Avenue station was opened for regular service on... Continue Reading →
May 27, 2014 In the Bahamas, a newly built terminal for an airport in the town of Marsh Harbour first went into service. Marsh Harbour, which is located on Great Abaco Island (the largest of the country’s Abaco Islands), has achieved renown over the years as a major tourist attraction. “The 46,000 square foot [4,300... Continue Reading →
May 16, 2009 In northern England’s borough of Stockton-on-Tees, a bridge for pedestrians and bicyclists was opened to the general public. This 787-foot (240-meter)-long structure, which crosses the River Tees, was both named and modeled after the ∞ symbol representing infinity. The Infinity Bridge was built in such a way that the combination of this... Continue Reading →
May 13, 2022 In the part of the Králický Snĕžník Mountains within the Czech Republic, a suspension footbridge in Dolní Morava -- a municipality along the country’s border with Poland -- was formally opened. This 2,365-foot (721-meter)-long structure is 312 feet (95 meters) off the ground. The footbridge spans the valley of the Mlýnský Stream... Continue Reading →
May 9, 2006 A newly built station of the Sáo Paulo Metro (popularly known as the Metrô), one of the rapid transit systems serving the capital of Brazil, was opened in the Chácara Klabin neighborhood of the city’s south-central area. Chácara Klabin station made its debut as part of Line 2 (Green) of the Metrô.... Continue Reading →
May 7, 1867 A railway station in the city of Naples in the Kingdom of Italy was inaugurated. (The Kingdom of Italy existed from 1861 to 1946; it was replaced by the present-day Republic of Italy.) Napoli Centrale (Naples Central Station) was designed by Enrico Alvino (1809-1872). This version of Napoli Centrale, which is... Continue Reading →
May 2, 1810 A groundbreaking ceremony was held in southeast Washington, D.C., for a new canal. Those attending this event included James Madison (1751-1836), who served as the fourth U.S. president from 1809 to 1817. The building of the Washington City Canal reflected the widespread enthusiasm during that era for waterways that would help facilitate... Continue Reading →
April 24, 1951 In Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County, a cantilever bridge crossing the Monongahela River was officially opened at noon. The bridge serves as a connection between the city of McKeesport and borough of Dravosburg. (Both McKeesport and Dravosburg are part of the Greater Pittsburgh area; the Steel City is not only the largest city in... Continue Reading →
April 23, 2017 Aubin Grove railway station in the vicinity of the state of Western Australia’s capital city of Perth made its official debut. This station -- located within the median of the Kwinana Freeway -- serves the Perth suburbs of Atwell, Aubin Grove, Hammond Park, and Success. Aubin Grove railway station is part of... Continue Reading →
April 18, 1905 A passenger train crossed a five-span cantilever truss bridge built to carry train traffic across the Mississippi River between the community of Illmo (now part of Scott City) in Missouri and the village of Thebes, Illinois. This train was the first one to cross the Thebes Bridge, thereby (in the words of... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 