Alaska World Travel Fair: Bridges

Showing posts with label Bridges. Show all posts

Golden Gate Bridge - San Francisco

The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge span in the world when it was completed in 1937, and has become one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco, California, and of the United States.The total length of the bridge is 8,981ft or 2,737m. The main span between the two enormous towers is 4,200 ft or 1,280 meter long.

Ponte Vecchio - Florence, Italy

The most famous bridge in Florence and also the oldest, this structure with three stone arches replaced a wooden bridge which had crossed the Arno River at this spot since Roman times. The upper side of the bridge, known as the Vasariano corridor, was designed by Vasari to link the Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery to the Pitti Palace; today it is an art gallery.
The Ponte Vecchio's two neighbouring bridges are the Ponte Santa Trinità and the Ponte alle Grazie.

Brooklyn Bridge - New York City

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River.This bridge was the first steel wire suspension bridge and it was the longest suspension bridge on Earth until 1903. This bridge was built because it was a direct link between Manhattan and Brooklyn.Design of the bridge was begun by John A. Roebling and completed by his son, Washington. Construction took 14 years, and the bridge finally opened in 1883.On that first day, a total of 1,800 vehicles and 150,300 people crossed what was then the only land passage between Manhattan and Brooklyn. Emily Warren Roebling was the first to cross the bridge. The bridge's main span over the East River is 1,595 feet 6 inches (486.3 m). The bridge cost $15.5 million to build and approximately 27 people died during its construction.

Capilano Suspension Bridge - Vancouver, Canada

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is Vancouver’s oldest tourist attraction, having been built in 1889.The current bridge is 450 feet (137m) across and 230 feet (70m) above the river. The Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park draws over 800,000 visitors a year. It offers splendid views of the river below and old growth forest. Experiencing the thrill of Vancouver's largest suspension bridge is a must for any local or visitor.
The bridge was originally built in 1889 by George Grant Mackay, a Scottish civil engineer and park commissioner for Vancouver. It was originally made of hemp ropes with a deck of cedar planks, and was replaced with a wire cable bridge in 1903. MacEachran purchased the Bridge from Mahon in 1935 and invited local natives to place their totem poles in the park, adding a native theme. In 1945, he sold the bridge to Henri Aubeneau.The bridge was completely rebuilt in 1956.

Capilano Suspension Bridge

Henderson Waves Bridge - Singapore

At the height of 36 meters from the surface of the road, this bridge is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore. This 300 meters bridge connects the park at Mount Faber and Telok Blangah Hill.The bridge has a wave-form made up of seven undulating curved steel ribs that alternately rise over and under its deck. The curved ribs form alcoves that function as shelters with seats within. Slats of yellow balau wood, an all-weather timber found in Southeast Asia, are used in the decking. The wave-forms are lit with LED lamps at night from 7pm to 2am daily.The design concept of Henderson Waves is based on a folded three-dimensional surface-form created by means of simple mathematics. The architect of the project used proprietary mathematical techniques to define its form simply and rigorously. Hence the form bends, undulates, and ascends by twenty-one meters in one movement; in the process it also deforms to provide adequate egress, sloping, shelter, and scenic viewing to pedestrians and cyclists.

Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia

One of the world’s most massive bridges, the Sydney Harbor Bridge combines with the nearby Sydney Opera House to form an iconic image of Australia. The bridge spans the harbor and is a popular tourist destination, even offering visitors the opportunity to climb to the top of the bridge’s south end.The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district (CBD) and the North Shore. The bridge is locally nicknamed "The Coat Hanger" because of its arch-based design.

Millau Viaduct - France

The Millau Viaduct is a work of both engineering prowess and architectural grace. Spanning the River Tam, in the south of France, Millau is a massive piece of infrastructure that appears as light as the fog that puffs across the valley.When it opened on 17 December 2004, the spectacular Millau Viaduct set new standards in both planning design and construction - without mentioning the record it set as the largest cable-stayed bridge in Europe. Near the bridge is a permanent visitors’centre with stunning views of the bridge and across the valley which it spans.At 2.4km long, and 270m above the river at its highest point, the Millau viaduct spans a 2km valley in the Massif Central mountain range and forms the final link in the A75 highway from Paris to Barcelona.

Vasco da Gama Bridge - Longest Bridge in Europe

The Vasco da Gama Bridge in Portugal is the longest bridge in Europe (including viaducts) and 9th longest in the world. It has a total length of 17.2 km (10.7 miles), including 0.829 km (0.5 miles) for the main bridge, 11.5 km (7.1 miles) in viaducts, and 4.8 km (3.0 mi) in dedicated access roads.It is a cable-stayed bridge flanked by viaducts and roads that spans the Tagus River near Lisbon. Its purpose was to alleviate the congestion on Lisbon's other bridge (25 de Abril Bridge) and to join the previously unconnected motorways radiating from the Portuguese capital. The bridge carries six road lanes, with a speed limit of , the same as motorways, except on one section which is limited to . On windy, rainy, and foggy days, the speed limit is reduced to . The number of road lanes will be enlarged to eight when traffic reaches a daily average of 52,000.

Tower Bridge - London, England

London’s Tower Bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. Its Victorian Gothic style stems from a law that forced the designers to create a structure that would be in harmony with the nearby Tower of London.Two massive piers, containing over 70,000 tons of concrete were sunk into the riverbed to support the construction. Over 11,000 tons of steel provided the framework for the towers and walkways.