Royal Gorge Bridge

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Royal Gorge Bridge
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Royal Gorge Bridge
Royal Gorge Bridge is located in Colorado
Royal Gorge Bridge
Location in Colorado
Location crosses the Arkansas River in Fremont County, Colorado
Nearest city Cañon City
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Area 6.9 acres (2.8 ha)
Built June-November 1929
Architect George F. Cole
Architectural style Suspension bridge
NRHP Reference # 83001303[1]
Added to NRHP September 2, 1983
Royal Gorge Bridge
Characteristics
Total length 1,260 ft (380 m)
Width 18 ft (5.5 m)
Longest span 880 ft (270 m)
Clearance below 955 ft (291 m)
History
Construction cost $350,000

The Royal Gorge Bridge is a tourist attraction near Cañon City, Colorado, within Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, a 360-acre (150 ha) theme park. The bridge deck crosses the Royal Gorge 955 feet (291 m) above the Arkansas River,[2] and held the record of highest bridge in the world from 1929 until 2001, when it was surpassed by the Liuguanghe Bridge in China. The Royal Gorge Bridge continued as the world's highest suspension bridge until the Beipan River Guanxing Highway Bridge was completed in 2003, also in China. The bridge remains the highest bridge in the United States and was among the ten highest bridges in the world until 2012. The main span of the bridge is 880 feet (270 m) while the total length is Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). and the width is 18 feet (5.5 m), with a wooden walkway with 1292 planks. The bridge is suspended from towers that are 150 feet (46 m) high.

Construction and location

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. The bridge was constructed in six months, between June 5, 1929, and late November 1929, at a cost of $350,000. To pay for construction, it was built as a toll bridge. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The bridge was not constructed for transportation purposes; instead, it was built with the intent that it serve as a tourist attraction, and has continued to be one of the most-visited tourist attractions in Colorado since its construction. The road is designated as Fremont County Road 3A. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad runs under the bridge along the base of Royal Gorge.

Measuring up

File:Royal Gorge Bridge Sign.jpg
Sign on the Royal Gorge Bridge showing its height

Measuring from deck to the river below, the Royal Gorge Bridge held the record of highest bridge in the world from 1929 to 2001, with a height of 955 feet (291 m). In 2001 it was surpassed by the Liuguanghe Bridge in China with its height of 974 feet (297 m). In 2003 it surrendered the title of the world's highest suspension bridge when the Beipan River Guanxing Highway Bridge was completed, also in China. Since 2003, several more even higher bridges, mostly in China, have been completed which caused the Royal Gorge Bridge to drop out of the top ten highest bridges in the world. As of 2016, the Royal Gorge Bridge remains the highest bridge in the United States and the 12th highest bridge in the world.

History

1920s

The bridge was built in 1929.

1980s

In 1980, the bridge hosted the television show That's Incredible! for a different kind of jumping. On the show, a group of British bungee jumpers from the Oxford Dangerous Sports Club set, at the time, world records for the highest bungee jump.[citation needed] The record setting jump went 800 feet (240 m) into the 955-foot (291 m) canyon.

In 1981, the bridge was featured in a General Motors (GM) Super Bowl commercial in which several hundred one-gallon gas cans were suspended under the bridge to demonstrate the amount of gas GM's new car would save.

The bridge was closed to vehicle traffic from 1982–83 for significant renovations. During this time, new cable anchors were installed. The original rusting cable ends were replaced by new multi-strand cables and then each of the 2,100 strands of existing suspension cable were spliced together with the new anchor cables. The bridge also got new floor timbers, wind cabling, and improvements to the bridge towers. The cost of the renovations was $2.8 million or about 140% of the original purchase price, accounting for inflation.

2000s

In October 2003, while performing a proximity demonstration, wingsuiter Dwain Weston was killed attempting to fly over the bridge.[3] Weston was wearing a wingsuit, a skydiving suit with fabric extended below the arms to the body and between the legs to catch air allowing for horizontal travel when skydiving. He was to go over the bridge while fellow skydiver Jeb Corliss was to go under it. Miscalculating his distance from the bridge, Weston struck a railing while traveling an estimated 120 mph, dismembering him and killing him instantly.[4]

Rides and attractions at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park

  • Royal-Gorge Entrance 2012-10-28.JPG

    The Main Gate on October 28, 2012 before the fire of June 2013

  • Royal-Gorge Visitors-Center 2012-10-28.JPG

    Visitors Center on October 28, 2012 before the fire of June 2013

  • Royal-Gorge Silverrock-RR Station 2012-10-28.JPG

    Silverrock R.R. station on October 28, 2012 before the fire of June 2013

  • Royal-Gorge Silverrock-RR Track-1 2012-10-28.JPG

    Silverrock R.R. 2 ft (610 mm) gauge track, October 28, 2012

  • Royal-Gorge Silverrock-RR Track-2 2012-10-28.JPG

    View of Silverrock R.R. on October 28, 2012

  • Royal-Gorge D&RGW-Caboose-0584 2012-10-28.JPG

    D&RGW caboose #0584 on October 28, 2012

  • Royal-Gorge D&RGW-K-37-499 2012-10-28.JPG

    D&RGW K-37 steam engine #499 on display, October 28, 2012

  • Royal-Gorge Aerial-Tram 2012-10-28.JPG

    Aerial Tram on October 28, 2012 before the fire of June 2013

June 2013 wildfire

On June 12, 2013, the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park was devastated by a wildfire. While the bridge suffered only minimal damage (some wooden deck planks burned), all but four of the park's 52 buildings were destroyed.[7] The Incline Railway was severely damaged and the Aerial Tram was destroyed.[8] Park executives announced on June 13 that the bridge will be repaired and the park rebuilt, but there was no timeline for reopening the bridge and/or park.[9]

Attractions lost in fire

Note- The following 3 lists are compiled as a result of aerial photos: Many of the park's attractions were lost in the fire. They include:

  • Aerial tram
  • Cafés and dining facilities (all)
  • Eagles Nest gift shop (Tram South Station)
  • Fencing near the viewing area and fire station
  • Incline Railway station and cables
  • Main gate
  • Public restrooms (all)
  • Rock shop
  • Tee shirt shop
  • Toy shop
  • Visitors center (tram north station)
  • Water clock
  • Wild West Town

Attractions damaged in fire

The following are damaged but repairable structures within the park:

  • 30 wooden planks on north end of the otherwise undamaged Bridge (replaced shortly after fire)
  • Bus garage
  • Ice cream shop - was damaged but walls were part of the original stone structures (They remain standing and might be restored according to plans.)
  • Incline Railway rails
  • Security cabin
  • Stall at the wildlife park
  • Sublime point roof (Wall remains intact as it is stone)
  • Water tower

Attractions that are still standing

Still remaining standing after the fire:

  • Big Horn Lodge
  • Bridge main structure (see above for damage to bridge)
  • Royal Rush Skycoaster

2014 park re-opening

The Royal Gorge Bridge and Park re-opened partially in March, 2015, and by September, 2015, was once again fully open. As of September, 2015, the park operates from 7:00 a.m. until dusk. Attractions that have been refurbished or rebuilt since the fire include: Visitor's Center, Water Clock, Aerial Trams, Plaza Theater, Children's Playland (including Wax Hand Shop, Carousel, and play areas), SkyCoaster, and Cloudscraper Zipline. The Visitor's Center and attractions do not open until 10:00 a.m., but in the hours before the Visitor's Center opens, visitors can still purchase a ticket to walk across the bridge and peruse the area.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.  "After (learning that), Royal Gorge officials measured the bridge themselves and discovered it is 969 feet to the water."
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Zeitschrift Blickpunkt Straßenbahn (Tram Focus Magazine) - Trams of the World 2013
  6. ↑ Royal Gorge Silver Rock Railway at The Railroad and Train Pictures Gallery
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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