Royal Gorge Bridge - Revision history

Sakowski at 06:23, 24 December 2024

2024-12-24T06:23:37Z

Sakowski at 02:29, 17 February 2022

2022-02-17T02:29:36Z

Sakowski at 00:52, 12 February 2022

2022-02-12T00:52:25Z

Sakowski at 00:47, 12 February 2022

2022-02-12T00:47:51Z

Sakowski at 05:17, 21 August 2021

2021-08-21T05:17:31Z

Sakowski at 05:15, 21 August 2021

2021-08-21T05:15:55Z

Sakowski at 05:15, 21 August 2021

2021-08-21T05:15:10Z

Show changes

Sakowski at 03:40, 13 August 2019

2019-08-13T03:40:41Z

Sakowski at 09:38, 17 June 2013

2013-06-17T09:38:58Z

Sakowski at 09:36, 17 June 2013

2013-06-17T09:36:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:23, 24 December 2024
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	[[File:9RoyalGorgeBridge.jpg\|750px\|center]]		[[File:9RoyalGorgeBridge.jpg\|750px\|center]]
	Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com		Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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		+	[[File:HuajiangRoyalGorgeElevations.jpg\|900px\|center]]
		+	Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge and Royal Gorge Bridge size comparisons.

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 Royal Gorge Bridge and Park map.
 [[Category:Bridges in United States]]
 [[Category:Bridges in Colorado, United States]]

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-No other bridge in history has been more associated with being the “World’s Highest” than the Royal Gorge bridge, located in the U.S. state of Colorado.  Constructed in 1929, the bridge was the highest suspension bridge in the world for nearly 75 years with a roadway 955 feet (291 mtrs) above the Arkansas river.  In 2001,China opened an even higher gorge crossing in the form of the Liuguanghe bridge, a concrete beam span with a deck 975 feet (297 mtrs) high.  Then in 2003, China opened the 1,200 foot high (366 mtr) Beipanjiang River 2003 bridge, the first of what will eventually be at least a dozen Chinese suspension bridges of greater height.
+No other bridge in history has been more associated with being the “World’s Highest” than the Royal Gorge bridge, located in the U.S. state of Colorado.  Constructed in 1929, the bridge was the highest suspension bridge in the world for nearly 75 years with a roadway 955 feet (291 mtrs) above the Arkansas river.  In 2001,China opened an even higher gorge crossing in the form of the Liuguanghe bridge, a concrete beam span with a deck 975 feet (297 mtrs) high.  Then in 2003, China opened the 1,200 foot high (366 mtr) Beipanjiang Bridge Guanxing, the first of what will eventually be at least 30 Chinese suspension bridges of greater height.
 While the Royal Gorge bridge no longer holds any world records, this Rocky Mountain wonder of wire and wood is still the highest bridge in the United States and one of the most popular destinations in the state of Colorado with more than 500,000 visitors a year.  Since its construction, the Royal Gorge has become much more than a bridge but an entire park that includes more than a dozen attractions that can keep you busy for an entire day.
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 Despite all the changes that have occurred over the years, the main attraction at Royal Gorge will always be the bridge.  Designed to handle automobiles, you can still drive across the main span of 938 feet (286 mtrs) even though it is primarily used by pedestrians.  With more than a 1,000 planks of Oregon fir, the thin deck is unusual for having no vertical stiffening truss, causing some noticeable shakes and jiggles from any vehicle that goes across.  All of this makes a stroll over the deck a lot more fun and exhilarating than your average bridge walk.  In 1983, two wind cables were added underneath the bridge to reduce unwanted oscillations and movement.  The side spans have unequal lengths of 190 feet (58 mtrs) and 130 feet (40 mtrs) and are also where the individual strands of each cable terminate.  These exposed anchorages were also rebuilt in 1983.
-It may be hard to believe that the Royal Gorge bridge was surpassed in height by 10 other bridges in 10 years but China’s quick and astronomical expansion of their highway system forever changed the concept of what a high bridge could be.  But a closer look at the numbers reveals that the total height of a bridge does not determine how spectacular it will look as much as the steepness of the drop-off beneath the bridge.  In this regard the Colorado span still holds its own with the north side cliff falling vertically for some 700 feet (213 mtrs).  No other high bridge in the world has such an abyss-like drop outside of the west end of the Beipanjiang 2003 road bridge in China which is even higher with a nearly vertical drop of approximately 800 feet (244 mtrs) of its 1,200 foot (366 mtr) total height.
+It may be hard to believe that the Royal Gorge bridge was surpassed in height by 50 other bridges in 20 years but China’s quick and astronomical expansion of their highway system forever changed the concept of what a high bridge could be.  But a closer look at the numbers reveals that the total height of a bridge does not determine how spectacular it will look as much as the steepness of the drop-off beneath the bridge.  In this regard the Colorado span still holds its own with the north side cliff falling vertically for some 700 feet (213 mtrs).  No other high bridge in the world has such an abyss-like drop outside of the west end of the Beipanjiang Bridge Guanxing and the Beipanjiang Duge Bridges in China which are even higher with a nearly vertical drop of approximately 800 feet (244 mtrs) of their total heights.
 No history of Royal Gorge would be complete without mentioning the railroad that has traveled through the bottom of the canyon in one form or another since 1879.  It all started when the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad built a narrow gauge railroad along the Arkansas river to connect with the big mining town of Leadville using survey stakes that were left by the Denver & Rio Grande.  Since the D & RG was in a court battle for control of the AT & SF, it all came to a head in what became known as the “Royal Gorge War”.  Eventually the case was settled in 1880 with the completed right of way being returned to the D & RG.  The railroad continued to operate passenger trains until 1984 when the Denver & Rio Grande Western was bought by the Southern Pacific which later merged into Union Pacific.  It would be 15 years before the public would travel through the canyon again.

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:47, 12 February 2022
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	[[File:20RoyalGorgeBridge.jpg\|750px\|center]]		[[File:20RoyalGorgeBridge.jpg\|750px\|center]]
−	Royal Gorge is no longer the world's highest suspension bridge. By ~~2015~~ there will 9 suspension bridges in China that are higher. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com	+	Royal Gorge is no longer the world's highest suspension bridge. By 2025 there will 25 suspension bridges in China that are higher. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:17, 21 August 2021
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−	~~[[Category:Bridges in United States]]~~
−	~~[[Category:Bridges in Colorado, United States]]~~
−	~~<div style="text-align: center; border: 1px LightSkyBlue; background: LightSkyBlue; margin: 5px;">~~
−	~~This entry has 2 pages: [[Royal Gorge Bridge\|1]] \| [[Royal Gorge Bridge/Page 2\|2]]</div>~~
	[[Category:Bridges in United States]]		[[Category:Bridges in United States]]
	[[Category:Bridges in Colorado, United States]]		[[Category:Bridges in Colorado, United States]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:15, 21 August 2021
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	[[File:99RoyalGorgeMap.jpg\|750px\|center]]		[[File:99RoyalGorgeMap.jpg\|750px\|center]]
	Royal Gorge Bridge and Park map.		Royal Gorge Bridge and Park map.
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−	~~<div style="text-align: center; border: 1px LightSkyBlue; background: LightSkyBlue; margin: 5px;">~~
−	~~This entry has 2 pages: [[Royal Gorge Bridge\|1]] \| [[Royal Gorge Bridge/Page 2\|2]]</div>~~

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 <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 25px;">
-[[File:Royal-GorgeWindCables.jpg|750px|center]]<br />
+[[File:Royal-GorgeWindCables.jpg|900px|center]]<br />
 Royal Gorge Bridge Elevation<br />
 </div>

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:38, 17 June 2013
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	[[File:17RoyalGorgeBridge.jpg\|450px\|center]]		[[File:17RoyalGorgeBridge.jpg\|450px\|center]]
−	Take your pick! You can see the gorge by train, helicopter, tramway, funicular incline or bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com	+	Take your pick! You can see the gorge by train, helicopter, tramway, funicular incline, raft or bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:36, 17 June 2013
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	Despite the park having lost most of its major revenue sources, the bridge still stands and is the primary attraction for tourists looking to enjoy the spectacular views of the Arkansas River gorge. All of the destroyed structures can easily be rebuilt in time for the 2014 season.		Despite the park having lost most of its major revenue sources, the bridge still stands and is the primary attraction for tourists looking to enjoy the spectacular views of the Arkansas River gorge. All of the destroyed structures can easily be rebuilt in time for the 2014 season.
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		+	[[File:CanonCityRecord.jpg\|1000px\|center]]