New River Gorge Bridge
Encyclopedia
The New River Gorge Bridge is a steel arch bridge
3030 feet (924 m) long over the New River Gorge near Fayetteville
, West Virginia
, in the Appalachian Mountains
of the eastern United States
. With an arch 1700 feet (518 m) long, the New River Gorge Bridge was for many years the world's longest arch bridge; it is now the third longest. Part of U.S. Route 19
, its construction marked the completion of Corridor L of the Appalachian Development Highway System
. The bridge is crossed by an average of 16,200 motor vehicles per day.
The roadway of the New River Gorge Bridge is 876 feet (267 m) above the New River, making it the fifth highest vehicular bridge in the world, and the third highest in the Americas (behind the Mike O'Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge over the Colorado River
between Arizona
and Nevada
, bypassing the Hoover Dam
) and the Royal Gorge Bridge. When it opened in 1977, the New River Gorge Bridge was the highest vehicular bridge in the world, a record it kept until the 2004 opening of the Millau Viaduct
in France
. Several suspension bridges in China have since surpassed both of these bridges in height, with the current record holder being the Si Du River Bridge
which opened in November 2009, with 1,549 feet (472 m) of clearance above the Si Du River.
In 2005, the structure was further immortalized when a depiction of the span was placed on the West Virginia state quarter.
Construction began on the bridge in June 1974, and completed on October 22, 1977. It was designed by the Michael Baker Company, under the direction of Chief Engineer Clarence V. Knudsen, and executed by U.S. Steel
's American Bridge Division
. Final cost of construction was $37 million (approximately $4 million over bid). It is made from COR-TEN steel. The use of COR-TEN in construction presented several challenges; notable among them was ensuring that the weld-points weathered at the same rate as the rest of the steel.
Completion of the bridge cut the travel time from one side of the gorge to the other from about 45 minutes to 45 seconds.
The New River Gorge Bridge is within the National Park Service
's New River Gorge National River
, which protects this portion of the New River Gorge. At the northern end of the bridge, the Park Service operates a visitor center with scenic overlooks and a staircase that descends part of the way into the gorge.
A steel catwalk two feet (60 cm) wide runs the full length of the bridge underneath the roadway. Originally built to facilitate inspections, the catwalk is open for guided, handicapped-accessible quarter-mile "Bridge Walk" tours using safety rigging.
The bridge is the centerpiece of Fayette County's
"Bridge Day
", held the third Saturday of every October. This festival includes demonstrations of rappelling
, ascending, and BASE jumping
, Bungee jumping
, however, has been banned during Bridge Day since 1993. The bridge is closed to vehicular traffic during the festival; until recently, two of the bridge's four lanes were open to traffic during the festivals, but security concerns have now prompted the closing of the entire span to vehicles during these events.
The first person to jump off the New River Gorge Bridge was Burton Ervin, who lives in Cowen, West Virginia
, and was a coal-mine foreman. Burton jumped on Friday, August 1, 1979, using a conventional North American Aerodynamics Mini Rig System with a 32-foot Lopo canopy
. Four BASE jumpers have died at the bridge, three of these during Bridge Day festivals, and one other killed while performing an illegal jump.
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
3030 feet (924 m) long over the New River Gorge near Fayetteville
Fayetteville, West Virginia
Fayetteville is a town in and the county seat of Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,754 at the 2000 census.Fayetteville was listed as one of the 2006 "Top 10 Coolest Small Towns in America" by Budget Travel Magazine ....
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, in the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
of the eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. With an arch 1700 feet (518 m) long, the New River Gorge Bridge was for many years the world's longest arch bridge; it is now the third longest. Part of U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 19 in West Virginia
U.S. Route 19 in West Virginia runs through West Virginia from the Virginia state line in Bluefield, WV to the Pennsylvania state line near Mount Morris, PA.-Route:...
, its construction marked the completion of Corridor L of the Appalachian Development Highway System
Appalachian Development Highway System
The Appalachian Development Highway System is part of the Appalachian Regional Commission in the United States. See: .-History:...
. The bridge is crossed by an average of 16,200 motor vehicles per day.
The roadway of the New River Gorge Bridge is 876 feet (267 m) above the New River, making it the fifth highest vehicular bridge in the world, and the third highest in the Americas (behind the Mike O'Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge over the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
between Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, bypassing the Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President...
) and the Royal Gorge Bridge. When it opened in 1977, the New River Gorge Bridge was the highest vehicular bridge in the world, a record it kept until the 2004 opening of the Millau Viaduct
Millau Viaduct
The Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the river Tarn near Millau in southern France. Designed by the British architect Norman Foster and French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux, it is the tallest bridge in the world, with one mast's summit at . It is the...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Several suspension bridges in China have since surpassed both of these bridges in height, with the current record holder being the Si Du River Bridge
Si Du River Bridge
The Si Du River Bridge is a long suspension bridge crossing the valley of the Si Du River near Yesanguan in Badong County of the Hubei Province of the People's Republic of China. The bridge was designed by CCSHCC Second Highway Consultants Company, Ltd. and built at a cost of 720 million yuan...
which opened in November 2009, with 1,549 feet (472 m) of clearance above the Si Du River.
In 2005, the structure was further immortalized when a depiction of the span was placed on the West Virginia state quarter.
History
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
's American Bridge Division
American Bridge Company
The American Bridge Company is a privately held civil engineering firm specializing in the construction and renovation of bridges and other large civil engineering projects, founded in 1900, and headquartered in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.-Products and industry positioning:The...
. Final cost of construction was $37 million (approximately $4 million over bid). It is made from COR-TEN steel. The use of COR-TEN in construction presented several challenges; notable among them was ensuring that the weld-points weathered at the same rate as the rest of the steel.
Completion of the bridge cut the travel time from one side of the gorge to the other from about 45 minutes to 45 seconds.
Tourism
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
's New River Gorge National River
New River Gorge National River
The New River Gorge National River is a unit of the United States National Park Service designed to protect and maintain the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia. Established in 1978, the NPS-protected area stretches for from just downstream of Hinton to Hawks Nest State Park near Ansted.New...
, which protects this portion of the New River Gorge. At the northern end of the bridge, the Park Service operates a visitor center with scenic overlooks and a staircase that descends part of the way into the gorge.
A steel catwalk two feet (60 cm) wide runs the full length of the bridge underneath the roadway. Originally built to facilitate inspections, the catwalk is open for guided, handicapped-accessible quarter-mile "Bridge Walk" tours using safety rigging.
The bridge is the centerpiece of Fayette County's
Fayette County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,579 people, 18,945 households, and 13,128 families residing in the county. The population density was 72 people per square mile . There were 21,616 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
"Bridge Day
Bridge Day
Bridge Day is an annual one-day festival in Fayetteville, West Virginia, sponsored by the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce. The event, held on the third Saturday every October, commemorates the 1977 completion of the New River Gorge Bridge. On this day, all four lanes of the bridge are closed to...
", held the third Saturday of every October. This festival includes demonstrations of rappelling
Abseiling
Abseiling , rappelling in American English, is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope; climbers use this technique when a cliff or slope is too steep and/or dangerous to descend without protection.- Slang terms :...
, ascending, and BASE jumping
BASE jumping
BASE jumping, also sometimes written as B.A.S.E jumping, is an activity that employs an initially packed parachute to jump from fixed objects...
, Bungee jumping
Bungee jumping
Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that...
, however, has been banned during Bridge Day since 1993. The bridge is closed to vehicular traffic during the festival; until recently, two of the bridge's four lanes were open to traffic during the festivals, but security concerns have now prompted the closing of the entire span to vehicles during these events.
The first person to jump off the New River Gorge Bridge was Burton Ervin, who lives in Cowen, West Virginia
Cowen, West Virginia
Cowen is a town in Webster County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 513 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cowen is located at ....
, and was a coal-mine foreman. Burton jumped on Friday, August 1, 1979, using a conventional North American Aerodynamics Mini Rig System with a 32-foot Lopo canopy
Canopy (Parachute)
The term Canopy is used by skydivers or parachutists to describe the actual parachute itself, as opposed to the parachute system as a whole....
. Four BASE jumpers have died at the bridge, three of these during Bridge Day festivals, and one other killed while performing an illegal jump.
See also
- List of bridges in the United States by height
- Midland TrailMidland Trail (West Virginia)The Midland Trail is a National Scenic Byway which carries U.S. Highway 60 through a portion of Southern West Virginia between Charleston and Sam Black Church...
, a nearby a National Scenic BywayNational Scenic BywayA National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...
nearby - New River Gorge National RiverNew River Gorge National RiverThe New River Gorge National River is a unit of the United States National Park Service designed to protect and maintain the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia. Established in 1978, the NPS-protected area stretches for from just downstream of Hinton to Hawks Nest State Park near Ansted.New...
, the park surrounding the bridge - State Quarters
External links
- Official Bridge Day History (Official History)
- Bridge Day (official site)
- New River Gorge Bridge at Bridges & Tunnels
- New River Gorge Bridge at Roads to the Future