Difference between revisions of "Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge"

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(Created page with '<div style="font-size: 25px; text-align: center;"> Dent Bridge<br /> Orofino, Idaho, United States<br /> 500 feet high / 152 meters high<br /> 1,050 foot span / 320 meter span<br…')
 
 
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<div style="font-size: 25px; text-align: center;">
 
<div style="font-size: 25px; text-align: center;">
Dent Bridge<br />
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Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge<br />
Orofino, Idaho, United States<br />
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Twin Falls, Idaho, United States<br />
500 feet high / 152 meters high<br />
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476 feet high / 145 meters high<br />
1,050 foot span / 320 meter span<br />
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700 foot span / 213 meter span<br />
1972<br />
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1927-1976<br />
[[File:1DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|1000px|center]]
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[[File:24TwinFallsPostcard.jpg|750px|center]]
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
  
Constructed to cross the deep waters of the man-made Dworshak reservoir, the Dent suspension bridge opened in 1971 as part of a transportation infrastructure improvement from the construction of the 717 foot (219 mtr) high Dworshak Dam near Orofino, Idaho. The two lane crossing is the second highest reservoir bridge ever built in North America, exceeded only by the Bidwell Bar bridge on California’s Lake OrovilleWith a length of 1,050 feet (320 mtrs), the Dent bridge also has the longest span in the U.S. state of Idaho, exceeding the main arch of the more famous Perrine bridge by 57 feet (17 mtrs).
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Upon its completion in 1927, the Twin Falls-Jerome bridge was the third highest in the world, exceeded only by the Sidi M’Cid suspension bridge in Constantine, Algeria and the 1839-built Charles Albert suspension bridge at Allonzier-la-Caille in the Rhône-Alpes region of FranceAll three would be surpassed in 1929 by the Royal Gorge bridge in the U.S. state of Colorado.  The huge Twin Falls cantilever lasted almost 50 years before it was replaced by the current Perrine arch bridge.
 
 
Constructed by Hensel Phelps of Greeley, Colorado, the remote bridge was declared an “American Institute of Steel Construction Award of Merit 1972 Long Span” winner.  Despite a thin deck, stiffened by plate girders and internal trusses, the bridge is designed to handle fully loaded 110 ton logging trucks.  Like its California cousin over Lake Oroville, much of the Dent bridge remains underwater.  The south tower measures 315 feet (96 mtrs) from the top of the foundation to the top of the tower.  Only half of that is visible when the lake is full.  The bridge was named after a family of homesteaders who lived on the west end of the bridge in 1895.
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Like many cantilever bridges of the era, the Twin Falls-Jerome was a busy structure filled with a hodge podge of steel beams connected to form triangular shaped panels that were then subdivided into even smaller panels.  The two main towers stood 370 feet (113 mtrs) from top of foundation to road deck.  Protruding out of each tower were river arms measuring 225 feet (69 mtrs) in lengthA suspended span of 250 feet (76 mtrs) hung between them for a total main span of 700 feet (213 mtrs).  The bridge contained 98,750 pieces weighing a total of 2,900 tons.  
 
 
The damming of the North Fork of the Clearwater River also resulted in the construction of the Grandad bridge, a cantilever bridge that crosses 302 feet (90 mtrs) above the old river level about 50 miles (80km) upstream of the dam and about 33 miles (53 kms) from the Dent bridge.  One of Idaho’s biggest waterways, the Clearwater eventually empties into the Snake River at the border of Idaho and Washington states.    
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Twin Falls-Jerome was not the first high bridge to be built in the area.  That distinction belongs to the original 345 foot (105 mtr) high Hansen suspension bridge.  Located 8 miles (13 kms) upstream from Perrine, it was the highest bridge in North America from 1919 until 1927 when the Twin-Falls Jerome bridge surpassed itIn 1966 the suspension span was replaced by a new steel girder Hansen bridge with two concrete piers that descend all the way to the bottom of the canyon.
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Soon after the original Hansen suspension bridge was completed, its construction engineer R. M. Murray started to look into another crossing of the Snake river at Twin Falls.  It took several more years before funding was available for the new bridge but once construction began in November of 1926, it was just under a year before it was completed in time for the Jerome county fair in September of 1927.  Tolls were just 60 cents.  The engineering plans refer to it as the Blue Lakes bridge, an area in the gorge where rancher I.B. Perrine settled.  Although most people only refer to the current bridge as the Perrine, the name was carried over from the 1927 Twin Falls-Jerome bridge which had been renamed the Perrine Memorial bridge in 1940 after the bridge had become part of the Idaho state highway system.          
  
  
 
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 25px;">
 
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 25px;">
[[File:DentElevFinal.jpg|1000px|center]]<br />
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[[File:TwinFallsElevFinal.jpg|750px|center]]<br />
Dent Bridge Elevation<br />
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Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge Elevation<br />
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
  
[[File:DworshakUSACE2.jpg|1000px|center]]
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[[File:22PERRINEPHOTO.jpg|750px|center]]
A view of the bridge just after it was completed above a still unfilled Dworshak reservoir.  Image by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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A construction photo from 1975 shows the new arch rising next to the 1927 bridge.  Image by Idaho Department of Transportation.
  
  
[[File:2DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|1000px|center]]
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<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 25px;">
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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[[File:PerrineTwinJeromeComparisonMeld.jpg|750px|center]]<br />
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Perrine and Twin Falls-Jerome bridges side by side<br />
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</div>
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The two bridges stood next to each other for a brief period in 1976.  The current bridge is 10 feet (3 meters) higher than the 1927 original. The Twin Falls-Jerome bridge had a clear span of 700 feet (213 meters) while the 1976 arch spans 993 feet (303 meters).
  
  
[[File:4DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|590px|center]]
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[[File:25TwinFallsPostcard.jpg|750px|center]]
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge postcard.
  
  
[[File:5DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|1000px|center]]
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[[File:PerrineTwinFallsRoadPlans.jpg|200px|center]]
Bridge photographer Patrick S. O'Donnell will be visiting his 1,000th suspension or cable stayed bridge in 2010.  No person on earth has visited more suspension bridges than Patrick.  Dent was his 191st bridge.  You can see many more of the bridges he has photographed (and climbed on) at www.bridgemeister.com and www.flickr.com/photos/suspensionstayed/  Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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Twin Falls-Jerome and Perrine Bridge plan alignments.
  
  
[[File:7DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|590px|center]]
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[[File:26TwinFallsPostcard.jpg|750px|center]]
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge postcard.
  
  
[[File:8DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|590px|center]]
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[[File:27TwinFalls.jpg|750px|center]]
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge postcard.
  
  
[[File:9DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|590px|center]]
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[[File:23TwinFallsPostcard.jpg|750px|center]]
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge postcard.
  
  
[[File:10DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|590px|center]]
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[[File:28TwinFallsPostcard.jpg|750px|center]]
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge postcard.
  
  
[[File:11DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|590px|center]]
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[[File:29TwinFallsAerialPostcard.jpg|750px|center]]
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge aerial postcard. Note the open plateau on the south end of the bridge.  Today it is covered with stores, restaurants and parking lots.
  
  
[[File:12DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|590px|center]]
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<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 25px;">
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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[[File:PerrineTwinJeromeComparison.JPG|750px|center]]<br />
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Perrine and Twin Falls-Jerome bridge size comparison<br />
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</div>
  
  
[[File:13DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|590px|center]]
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[[File:2PerrineBridge.jpg|750px|center]]
A huge bird's nest was resting on top of one of the bridge towers.  Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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A steel arch replaced the original cantilever bridge in 1976.  You can see more images of the current span under the Perrine Bridge entry.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
[[File:14DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|1000px|center]]
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[[File:4PerrineBridge.jpg|750px|center]]
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
[[File:15DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|590px|center]]
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[[File:30PerrineBridge.jpg|750px|center]]
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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Memorial to I.B. Perrine as well as the current and previous Twin Falls-Jerome Bridges on the south side of the Snake River canyon.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
[[File:6DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|590px|center]]
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[[File:31PerrineBridge.jpg|750px|center]]
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
[[File:3DentPatrickO'Donnell.jpg|1000px|center]]
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[[File:PerrineAerial.jpg|630px|center]]
Image by Patrick S. O'Donnell.
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Perrine Bridge satellite image.
  
  
 
[[Category:Bridges in United States]]
 
[[Category:Bridges in United States]]
 
[[Category:Bridges in Idaho, United States]]
 
[[Category:Bridges in Idaho, United States]]

Latest revision as of 03:15, 9 December 2009

Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge
Twin Falls, Idaho, United States
476 feet high / 145 meters high
700 foot span / 213 meter span
1927-1976

24TwinFallsPostcard.jpg


Upon its completion in 1927, the Twin Falls-Jerome bridge was the third highest in the world, exceeded only by the Sidi M’Cid suspension bridge in Constantine, Algeria and the 1839-built Charles Albert suspension bridge at Allonzier-la-Caille in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. All three would be surpassed in 1929 by the Royal Gorge bridge in the U.S. state of Colorado. The huge Twin Falls cantilever lasted almost 50 years before it was replaced by the current Perrine arch bridge.

Like many cantilever bridges of the era, the Twin Falls-Jerome was a busy structure filled with a hodge podge of steel beams connected to form triangular shaped panels that were then subdivided into even smaller panels. The two main towers stood 370 feet (113 mtrs) from top of foundation to road deck. Protruding out of each tower were river arms measuring 225 feet (69 mtrs) in length. A suspended span of 250 feet (76 mtrs) hung between them for a total main span of 700 feet (213 mtrs). The bridge contained 98,750 pieces weighing a total of 2,900 tons.

Twin Falls-Jerome was not the first high bridge to be built in the area. That distinction belongs to the original 345 foot (105 mtr) high Hansen suspension bridge. Located 8 miles (13 kms) upstream from Perrine, it was the highest bridge in North America from 1919 until 1927 when the Twin-Falls Jerome bridge surpassed it. In 1966 the suspension span was replaced by a new steel girder Hansen bridge with two concrete piers that descend all the way to the bottom of the canyon.

Soon after the original Hansen suspension bridge was completed, its construction engineer R. M. Murray started to look into another crossing of the Snake river at Twin Falls. It took several more years before funding was available for the new bridge but once construction began in November of 1926, it was just under a year before it was completed in time for the Jerome county fair in September of 1927. Tolls were just 60 cents. The engineering plans refer to it as the Blue Lakes bridge, an area in the gorge where rancher I.B. Perrine settled. Although most people only refer to the current bridge as the Perrine, the name was carried over from the 1927 Twin Falls-Jerome bridge which had been renamed the Perrine Memorial bridge in 1940 after the bridge had become part of the Idaho state highway system.


TwinFallsElevFinal.jpg

Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge Elevation


22PERRINEPHOTO.jpg

A construction photo from 1975 shows the new arch rising next to the 1927 bridge. Image by Idaho Department of Transportation.


PerrineTwinJeromeComparisonMeld.jpg

Perrine and Twin Falls-Jerome bridges side by side

The two bridges stood next to each other for a brief period in 1976. The current bridge is 10 feet (3 meters) higher than the 1927 original. The Twin Falls-Jerome bridge had a clear span of 700 feet (213 meters) while the 1976 arch spans 993 feet (303 meters).


25TwinFallsPostcard.jpg

Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge postcard.


PerrineTwinFallsRoadPlans.jpg

Twin Falls-Jerome and Perrine Bridge plan alignments.


26TwinFallsPostcard.jpg

Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge postcard.


27TwinFalls.jpg

Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge postcard.


23TwinFallsPostcard.jpg

Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge postcard.


28TwinFallsPostcard.jpg

Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge postcard.


29TwinFallsAerialPostcard.jpg

Twin Falls-Jerome Bridge aerial postcard. Note the open plateau on the south end of the bridge. Today it is covered with stores, restaurants and parking lots.


PerrineTwinJeromeComparison.JPG

Perrine and Twin Falls-Jerome bridge size comparison


2PerrineBridge.jpg

A steel arch replaced the original cantilever bridge in 1976. You can see more images of the current span under the Perrine Bridge entry. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


4PerrineBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


30PerrineBridge.jpg

Memorial to I.B. Perrine as well as the current and previous Twin Falls-Jerome Bridges on the south side of the Snake River canyon. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


31PerrineBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


PerrineAerial.jpg

Perrine Bridge satellite image.