Transcript New River Gorge Bridge

Fayetteville, WV
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Shaun Long – Michael Baker Jr. Inc.
Bridge Engineer
Josh Derechin – Michael Baker Jr. Inc.
Senior Technical Manager
Jimmy Wriston – West Virginia DOT
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Fayette Station Road
Built in 1909, Only way to cross the gorge
Corridor L, US19, began in 1960
Tunney Hunsacker Bridge
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Turn a 45 minute trip into 45 seconds
Making the impossible a reality
“new transportation and new life blood”
– John D. Rockefeller, IV
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Bridge was immortalized by US Mint
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Design
Construction
Inspection
Tourism
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Design
Construction
Inspection
Tourism
Bridge Types Considered
 Arch Bridge (Top)
 Suspension Bridge
(Bottom)
 Deck Truss
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Manhours for design were equivalent of one
man working 40 hours per week for 15 years
Design calculation sheets totaled 4,759
Baker engineers checked approximately
1,490 shop drawings
Baker engineers analyzed 75+ erection
procedures and 1,200 sheets of
accompanying calculations
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COR-TEN Steel
◦ High-Strength
◦ Aesthetic Beauty
◦ Lowe Maintenance
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Upon opening, it was the second highest
highway bridge in the world.
Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado built in 1929
Record currently held by Siduhe River Bridge,
China. 1627 ft
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Upon opening, it was the longest Arch Bridge
in the world.
2003 – Lupu Bridge in China broke record
Chaotianmen
Bridge
1,811 Ft.
2009
China
Lupu Bridge
1,804 Ft.
2003
China
Bosideng Bridge
1,739 Ft.
2012
China
New River
Gorge Bridge
1,700 Ft.
1977
U.S.
Bayonne Bridge
1,673 Ft.
1931
U.S.
Zhijinghe River
Bridge
1,410 Ft.
2009
China
Beipanjiang River
Railway Bridge
774 Ft.
2001
China
Mike O’Callaghan
– Pat Tillman
Memorial Bridge
886 Ft.
2010
U.S.
New River Gorge
Bridge
876 Ft.
1977
U.S.
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34 Million Pounds of Structural Steel
Equivalent to 120 Boeing 747’s
7,555 Full Size Pick Up’s
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Design
Construction
Inspection
Tourism
WVDOH awarded a contract to U.S. Steel for the
construction of the bridge
June 21, 1973 Bid Results
 $33,984,012 - U.S. Steel
 $41,116,118 - Allied Structural Steel, Inland
Ryerson Construction Products
 $46,383,282 – Bethlehem Steel Corp.
 $52,496,017 – Bristol Steel, Iron Works Inc.
Most expensive project awarded
by WVDOH at the time
2013 cost of bridge $173 million
Uniquely Designed Cableway
Uniquely Designed Cableway
Uniquely Designed Cableway
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Opened October 22, 1977
Representing Man’s ability to challenge and
overcome nature’s barriers
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Design
Construction
Inspection
Tourism
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Design
Construction
Inspection
Tourism
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Foresight to add Visitors center during
construction
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Bridge Day – Third Saturday in October