Some Bridge love..

[Amanita]

I wasn't sure where to put this, here seemed like an okay spot.
Who here likes bridges? Which one is your favourite?

Recently I've begun to appreciate the graceful curves and lines of suspension bridges, and my two favourites are hands down, no contest, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Oakland-bay Bridge, both of San Francisco.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_bridge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FNNGk4ejE4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Bay_Bridge

A gorgeous pic of the Oakland-Bay Bridge at night:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Sfbaybridge.jpg

It seems just about everyone likes the Golden Gate Bridge- Alot of the skyscrapers I admire have been on the recieving end of some vicious smack-talk from critics. But aside from one snarky San Francisco newspaper commentary on the bridge's opening day, I havn't heard anything like that directed at that bridge. BTW, the bridge was referred to as "a 35 million dollar steel harp".

And if you cruise Youtube, you find some interesting movie footage:
The core:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRJ6Vf25-Qk

X-Men- the last stand:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiL31ZBxoy8

After watching these, all I can say is "Ouch!!" Stop abusing my favourite bridge!

And lastly, this is just too hilarious to pass up. Couch Surfing on the bridge!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty-X1A1Yvhc

So what bridge do you love? Post some pics and let's have a Bridge love-in!

[Steely Dan]

i've got two favorites.

Mackinac Bridge - michigan


pic by me




Firth of Forth Rail Bridge - scotland


source: http://www.fsb.org.uk/023/images/for...almevening.jpg

[Tom Servo]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Firth of Forth Rail Bridge - scotland


source: http://www.fsb.org.uk/023/images/for...almevening.jpg

that's a good fav!

[Tom Servo]

i liked these:



*SOM

[i_am_hydrogen]

Gehry's bridge in Millennium Park (taken by me):

[Amanita]

Ooh, pretty- that Gehry one looks something like a shiny silver snake when viewed from the air.

Am I the only Golden Gate fan here? I hope not.

[munda]

here is my favorite
thanks to wikipendia


Confederation Bridge
*google*

[SFUVancouver]

I'm going with my hometown favourite The Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver.

[Jonovision]

Might as well stick with the hometown approach.

Angus L. MacDonald Bridge in Halifax



And there's also the MacKay Bridge

[LivingIn622]

no pics, but my favorite is the Makinaw bridge..aka..Mighty Mack

[JackStraw]

The golden gate is the most amazing bridge I was on.

There is one in West Virginia that I believe is suppose to be very high. I want to go down there in May and check it out.

I might as well add some of my favorite locally. After all Pittsburgh is known as the city of Bridges. We don't have any as large and wonderful as the golden gate, but we have the second most in the world after Venice. Something like 750.

Here are the three sister bridges on the North Side over the Allegheny. (Pic by me)


These are the first self-anchored suspension bridges in America. They were built in the 1920s and were designed to allow clearance for boats in the river.

Here is another favorite of mine. THe Smithfield st. Bridge.


(picture from pghbridges.com-photographer cited on photo)


Photo by me.

Finished in 1883, and is a national historic landmark.

[Amanita]

Nice pics Jonovision- Angus L Mcdonald bridge is pretty nice looking, too bad the McKay bridge doesn't have such nice lines.
Hopefully soon I intend to go check out the Golden Gate up close and personal. You bet I'll post pictures on that happy day.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by JackStraw

We don't have any as large and wonderful as the golden gate, but we have the second most in the world after Venice. Something like 750.

But the Golden Gate was made with Pittsburgh steel!

This website is a great resource about the many bridges and tunnels of Pittsburgh:
http://www.pghbridges.com/

all photos by me

this daybreak photo shows bridges crossing all three major rivers in the city.. in the foreground is the West End Bridge... the first bridge crossing the Ohio River. Completed in 1932, it is a steel tied arch bridge. In the distance to the right is the Fort Pitt Bridge. Completed in 1959, is is the last bridge crossing the Monongahela River and is a steel double decker tied arch bridge. In the distance to the left is the Fort Duquesne Bridge. Completed in 1969, it is another double decker tied arch bridge


at top is the Fort Duquesne Bridge crossing the Allegheny with the northern ramps of the Fort Pitt at bottom


Bridges crossing the Monongahela River from top:
Birmingham Bridge is a tied arch bridge completed in 1976.
10th St. Bridge is a steel suspension bridge with stone piers completed in 1933.
Liberty Bridge is a cantilever bridge completed in 1928.
Panhandle Bridge is a truss bridge completed in 1903 and carries LRT.


From front to back: Fort Pitt, Smithfield Bridge (1883, our oldest existing), Panhandle, Liberty, 10th


Bridges crossing the Allegheny River from top:
16th St. Bridge is a thru arch bridge completed in 1922
Veterans Bridge is a girder bridge completed in 1987
Fort Wayne Railroad Bridge is a double decked steel trust railway bridge completed in 1904
The 9th, 7th and 6th St. Bridges comprise the Three Sisters, three identitical self-anchored suspension bridges completed in 1928.


Hulton Bridges crosses the Allegheny at Oakmont. It is a Parker Pratt through truss completed in 1908.


detail of the Smithfield



Monongahela River: the Hot Metal Bridge is in the foreground. It's actually two bridges in one, completed in 1887 and 1990. One portion is a former rail bridge and the other portion carried crucibles of molten steel from blast furnaces to rolling mills across the river. Today the spans carry automobiles and pedestrians. In the background is the Birmingham Bridge.




the recently refurbished 31st St. Bridge crossing the Allegheny


6th St.


Hot Metal pedestrian span (opened Nov. 2007)


Allegheny crossings from left:
31st St. is a steel deck arch bridge completed in 1928.
33rd St. RR Bridge.
40th St. is a steel deck arch completed in 1924.


40th St.


Smithfield


LRT crossing the Panhandle with Liberty in the background


33rd St. RR


10th St. entering the Armstrong Tunnels


I don't know the name of this one... but it connects Fineview to Spring Hill over I-279



Allegheny River


Monongahela River


just a small sampling

[JackStraw]

^wowzers, it is like a whole bridges of Pittsburgh photo thread!

[Amanita]

Day-amn..LOTS of them around there.
I wish I could remember how to post images, I would add some serious Golden Gate porn to this thread

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by JackStraw

^wowzers, it is like a whole bridges of Pittsburgh photo thread!

I included the Hulton Bridge just for you.

[staff]

Originally Posted by JackStraw

After all Pittsburgh is known as the city of Bridges. We don't have any as large and wonderful as the golden gate, but we have the second most in the world after Venice. Something like 750.

If Pittsburgh is ranked behind Venice, then it has less than 400 bridges. Although, none of these cities are even close to having the largest amount of bridges anyway.
Amsterdam has about three times the amount of bridges that Venice has, at 1200 - and Hamburg has more than Amsterdam, Venice (and probably Pittsburgh) combined with 2300 bridges. By far more than any other city on the planet.

Pittsburgh has some mighty fine bridges though, no doubt about that.

[harryc]

Sorta a bridge. apox 1300 S, East of Michigan ave - Chicago.

[northbay]

thanks evergrey for the stunning photos. i didnt realize there were so many bridges.

harryc - thanks for the photos of the double-decked roads in chicago - i didnt realize some were in such bad condition

[harryc]

Originally Posted by northbay420

thanks evergrey for the stunning photos. i didnt realize there were so many bridges.

harryc - thanks for the photos of the double-decked roads in chicago - i didnt realize some were in such bad condition

That is a rail road viaduct, the raised roads are in much better shape, and much newer.

For something a bit older - crossing the Clyde river
built 1773 - outside of Lanark Scottland ( and kept in very good repair )