Posted on 07/16/2005 5:42:49 PM PDT by SmithL
Charleston, S.C. -- Hundreds of people filled an eight-lane highway in place of cars and trucks Saturday to dedicate the $632 million Ravenel Bridge over the Cooper River, the longest cable-stayed span in North America.
"We have created not only a bridge, but a thing of beauty," said Arthur Ravenel Jr., the former state senator and U.S. congressman for whom the span is named.
The bridge's 1,546-foot main span is supported by cables stretching down from the tops of a pair of diamond-shaped, 570-foot-tall towers. Unlike suspension spans such as San Francisco's Golden Gate, where the deck is suspended beneath two hefty main cables that connect the towers in a lengthy curve, the Ravenel cables extend directly from the towers to the deck.
"It's a wonderful, beautiful structure," Ravenel told the crowd of at least 1,500 people.
The eight-lane bridge, which took four years to build, carries U.S. 17 between Charleston and Mount Pleasant, along with pedestrian and bicycle lanes. The main span is about 200 feet above the water and will allow larger cargo ships to enter the port. Construction began four years ago, and the bridge was finished about a year ahead of schedule.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
"Its main span is 20 feet longer than the Alex Fraser Bridge in Victoria, British Columbia, which had been the longest on the continent."
Wrong info. The Alex Fraser Bridge is in the South Surrey/Delta area - part of the Greater Vancouver area. Victoria is on the island, an hour and a half away be ferry.
I know - I live in South Burnaby, and see the Alex Fraser bridge outside my window.
"On the contrary. It provided a valuable lesson in
aerodynamics for all the bridges that came after it."
That's why there is an opening down the center of the Mackinaw bridge.
I miss the tunnel. :(
That is true. I was just being flippant. :-)
About 180 degrees from where the picture begins is 1/2 of a person walking -- kinda creepy.
I have been there several times. I was employed in the Tacoma area until the end of 2003 and my duties sometimes required me to travel to Kennewick. I have watched via the Internet the construction of the new Narrows bridge. maybe I'll get to go back there to see the finished product.
Regards,
Height above canyon floor: 1053 ft.
Drive on this one some time, Family and I did it in 1971. Scary, you can bet it was!.
The movie of that bridge must be part over every high school physics course (at least in the 1970's) when covering oscillating systems (harmonics).
You would REALLY get a scare then, if you took the trip I did last December: Near Norfolk, VA, one not only crosses bridges over large, deep bodies of water, but then one dives down through tunnels UNDER the water, dug deep enough to allow ships to pass overhead. There is just something alien about driving under tons and tons of water while thinking if there were a 'breach' and water came rushing in, there would be absolutely no way to escape.....
That picture does look a mite different than the one posted here. Did you catch their command of the English language? "The Ravenel Bridge replaces to aging bridges."
When I lived in Charleston there were chunks of pavement falling out of the old bridge on a semi-regular basis.
Different kinds of bridges. The Michigan bridge is a suspension bridge, the South Carolina bridge is Cable Stayed.
As much as I hate to admit it the Millau is an amazing bridge.
I have memories of the tunnel going way back in my childhood.
But as an adult driver. . . I do not miss it.
Hey, you still got the Washburn tunnel!
I already miss the old bridge and the stories that my Momma, Grandmother and Great Aunt use to tell about taking the Ferry before the old, old bridge was completed in 1929.
Crossing the Neck into Charleston you could see the Ashley River (pronounced RivAAA) and the Bridges over the Cooper (pronouced CUPpa RivAAA). I'll miss the old skyline.
I imagine I'll get use to the the double diamonds or as we are now calling it the "CUZway" Good Ol' Arther Ravenel (pronouced AHHHHHHHHHHHtha).
Thanks for ping and all the memories...
Bob Hope theme song.
WOW............
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.