The New River Gorge Bridge has been dubbed an engineering masterpiece. With a 3,030ft long, fou8r lane road spanning the distance of it, the bridge opened to traffic October 22, 1977. When it opened, its towering height of 876ft was recorded as being the highest vehicular bridge in the world, and it maintained that record for over 25 years.
A drive to cross the gorge, through the Appalachian Mountains, used to take 45 minutes. The bridge reduced that drive to 45 seconds, completing the US Route 19 highway corridor. 16,000 vehicles a day take advantage of the convenience the bridge now affords, creating a vibration that can be felt throughout the base of the overpass. The bridge recently opened a pathway, year-round, to allow pedestrians to cross the 2ft wide maintenance catwalk, located 20ft underneath the center of the highway.
Interested in teaching your students more about engineering? Check out SSR's Vol 41 DVD, episode Engineering – Bridges by Design. If your school would like to receive this free resource, visit http://www.ssrvideo.com/nhcmsp.html.
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