Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
August 4, 1902 The Greenwich Foot Tunnel, which crosses beneath the River Thames in East London, England, made its debut. This tunnel, connecting the district of Greenwich in the south with the Isle of Dogs to the north, was designed by civil engineer Sir Alexander Binnie (1839-1917). The Greenwich Foot Tunnel replaced a costly and too... Continue Reading →
June 2, 2007 A late-morning dedication ceremony -- complete with a ribbon-cutting -- was held for a trail in the Aspetuck River Valley area of southwestern Connecticut. Those taking part in the festivities for this new trail included Gina McCarthy, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (now part of the Connecticut Department of... Continue Reading →
May 11, 2021 The final segment of a rail trail in Montgomery County in the Philadelphia metropolitan area was officially completed. This route -- known as the Pennypack Trail -- is located along the former alignment of the Fox Chase Line, a regional rail service of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). The trail owes... Continue Reading →
April 24, 2010 A unique type of pedestrian bridge was officially dedicated in southern Singapore. The Double Helix Bridge (now called just the Helix Bridge), which spans Marina Bay, serves as a major link between Marina South peninsula and -- within Singapore’s economic center known as Downtown Core -- Marina Centre. The Helix Bridge was... Continue Reading →
April 17, 2018 The Australian Sikh Heritage Trail was formally opened. This group of interconnected pathways is located in Adenia Park in Riverton, a southeastern suburb of Perth in the state of Western Australia (WA). The local government area of Riverton is the City of Canning. The trail commemorates the history of Sikhs in Australia.... Continue Reading →
During the 1880s, Elsa von Blumen firmly established herself as a formidable contender in both walking and cycling competitions throughout the United States. Von Blumen, who was originally known as Caroline “Carrie” Kiner, was born to Prussian immigrants on October 6, 1859, and grew up in Oswego County, New York. As a child, Carrie was... Continue Reading →
February 27, 2002 A dedication ceremony was held for a pedestrian and bicycle bridge spanning Interstate 80 (I-80) in the city of Berkeley, California. “Jubilation as New Bridge Opens Car-Free Access,” announced a headline in the next day’s edition of the Oakland Tribune. This tied-arch concrete bridge, which is known as the I-80 Bicycle and... 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 5, 2013 Philosopher’s Way, a 2.7-mile (4.3-kilometer) loop trail around the perimeter of John McLaren Park in San Francisco, was opened to the public. This trail is the first and only one in the United States to be built primarily for philosophers. The key features of Philosopher’s Way include a total of 14 stone... 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 →
Transportation History 