New River Gorge Bridge (US 19)
The New River Gorge Bridge carries U.S. Route 19 over the New River northeast of Fayetteville, West Virginia. It is the largest arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere and the second highest crossing in the United States.Construction
During the late 1960s and 1970s, U.S. Route 19 was widened to four-lanes south of U.S. Route 60 near Summersville, West Virginia to Beckley and Interstates 64 and 77, and rebuilt as a "super-two" highway north to Interstate 79. The upgraded highway, dubbed Corridor L, allowed north-south traffic to efficiently flow through the central highlands of the state without having to travel through Charleston and without having to use the northern half of the West Virginia Turnpike, a toll road. At the center of Corridor L, however, was the New River gorge, containing depths of 1,000 feet.To bridge the gorge, the Michael Baker Corporation was given the task by the West Virginia Department of Highways to design a New River crossing for Corridor L.(3) A contract to the American Bridge Division of US Steel was awarded in 1973, with a bid amount of $33,984,000.(1)
Construction began one year later,(3) and a four-tower cable-guiding system was used to help position steel into their respective positions.(1) Originally designed to be a painted arch span, US Steel utilized its then-new Cor-ten weathering steel.(3) Cor-ten steel was a group of steel alloys that obviated the need for paint and would weather into a rust-like appearance after being exposed to the elements for several years.(2) The result was an immediate cost saving of $300,000 (1) and additional savings of $1 million per each time the painted span would need refurbishment. The rust-like appearance also blended better with the natural terrain of the New River gorge.
On October 22, 1977,(1)(3) the New River Gorge Bridge, carrying U.S. Route 19/Corridor L, opened to traffic. Previously, U.S. Route 19 crossed over New River at Prince, today's West Virginia State Route 41. The only other crossings in the vicinity were West Virginia State Route 16 (formerly U.S. Route 21), and the narrow and dangerous West Virginia County Route 82 via the Fayette Station Bridge. The latter took nearly 45 minutes as the roadway was confined to one-lane in some sections. The new span, in comparison, shortened the crossing to just under one minute.
Upon completion, the New River Gorge Bridge was the longest steel arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere and the second highest crossing in the United States.(1)(3)
Bridge Day
On November 8, 1980, the first Bridge Day was held when two parachutists jumped from a plane onto the New River Gorge Bridge deck.(1) Five parachutists then jumped from the bridge itself down into the Gorge. Just four years later, three-hundred BASE jumpers participated in Bridge Day, with thousands walking across the 3,000-ft. span. The event continued to grow, being interrupted for one year after the September 11, 2001 incidents, and now includes the Bridge Day High Line and Down Under Tour.Further reading
1. New River Gorge Bridge at Gribblenation
2. Bridge Day Official Site
Sources
1. Cruikshank, Morgan Ryan. "The New River Gorge Bridge." March 15, 2007 Article.
2. "Weathering Steel." Mittal Steel. March 15, 2007 Article.
3. Koors, Rich. "NEW RIVER GORGE BRIDGE." March 15, 2007 Article.
4. Prince, Adam. "It's That Bridge They Bungee Jump Off..." Gribblenation, January 22, 2002. March 15, 2007 Article.
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