Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
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 →
August 2, 1870 The world’s first underground tube subway opened in London, England. The Tower Subway was created to provide railway service beneath the Thames River. The leading engineers involved in the design and construction of this pioneering subway were Peter W. Barlow (1809-1885) and his assistant John Henry Greathead (1844-1896). As the key part... Continue Reading →
August 1, 1896 In the northeastern part of the present-day Republic of Ireland, a railway station was opened in the town and townland (division) of Ardee in County Louth. At that time, the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland were merged together as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; this sovereign state remained... 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 15, 2013 The final section of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP), a rail trail spanning 150 miles (240 kilometers) between Pittsburgh and the city of Cumberland in western Maryland, was opened to the public. The GAP is heavily used by both bicyclists and hikers, and it connects with the towpath for the Chesapeake and... Continue Reading →
May 20, 2014 A dedication ceremony was held for a single-span bridge in Dublin, Ireland. This structure -- measuring 157 feet (48 meters) in length and 85 feet (26 meters) in width -- crosses the River Liffey and serves as a link between Marlborough and Hawkins Streets in Ireland’s capital city. The bridge is used... Continue Reading →
April 5, 1899 A bridge near the community of Clifden in the southernmost part of New Zealand’s South Island made its debut. (At the time, New Zealand was a British colony; it became a dominion of the British Empire in 1907 and achieved full autonomy in 1947.) The Clifden Suspension Bridge, which is 365.8 feet... Continue Reading →
March 10, 1879 A closely watched six-day walking competition in New York City commenced at one o’clock on that Monday morning with thousands of spectators in attendance. This competition took place at Gilmore’s Garden, which was renamed Madison Square Garden later that year. The building was the largest arena in the United States at the... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 