. With an arch 1,700 feet (518 m) long, the New River Gorge Bridge was for many years the world's longest single-span arch bridge;[4][5] it is now the fourth longest. Part of U.S. Route 19, its construction marked the completion of Corridor L of the Appalachian Development Highway System. The bridge is crossed by an average of 16,200 motor vehicles per day.[1]

The roadway of the New River Gorge Bridge is 876 feet (267 m) above the New River.[5] The New River Gorge Bridge is one of the highest vehicular bridges in the world, and is currently the third highest in the United States. In 2005, the structure gained nationwide attention when the US Mint issued the West Virginia state quarter with the bridge depicted on one side. In 2013, the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Contents
1 History
2 Tourism
3 Gallery
4 See also
5 References and notes
6 External links
History

The Fayette Station Bridge over the New River, over 800 ft (244 m) below the canyon rim
Construction began on the bridge in June 1974, and was completed on October 22, 1977. The bridge was designed by the Michael Baker Company under the direction of Chief Engineer Clarence V. Knudsen, and executed by U.S. Steel's American Bridge Division. The final cost of construction was $37 million (approximately $4 million over bid). It is made from COR-TEN steel. The use of COR-TEN in construction presented several challenges; notable among them was ensuring that the weld points weathered at the same rate as the rest of the steel.[6]

At the time, the bridge was the West Virginia Department of Highways' largest project in its history, important both in terms of its overall cost, and that the federal government provided 70 percent of the funding. Construction gave a boost to the state and local economy; completion improved transportation.[7] The bridge cut the vehicle travel time from one side of the gorge to the other from about 45 minutes to 45 seconds.[5][8]

On August 14, 2013, the bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3] Even though it was not yet 50 years old, it was listed for its exceptional impact on local transportation and its engineering significance.[7]

Tourism

View of the New River Gorge Bridge from the National Park Service Overlook
The New River Gorge Bridge is within the National Park Service's New River Gorge National River area, which protects this portion of the New River Gorge. At the northern end of the bridge, the Park Service operates a visitor center; it has scenic overlooks and a staircase that descends part of the way into the gorge.

A steel catwalk two feet (60 cm) wide runs the full length of the bridge underneath the roadway. Originally built to facilitate inspections, the catwalk is open for guided, handicapped-accessible quarter-mile "Bridge Walk"[9] tours; visitors use safety rigging.[5][10][11]

Since its opening, the bridge has been the centerpiece of Fayette County's "Bridge Day", held the third Saturday of every October.[5] This festival includes demonstrations of rappelling, ascending, and BASE jumping.[12] Bungee jumping, however, has been banned during Bridge Day since 1993.

The bridge is closed to vehicular traffic during the festival. Prior to the September 11th terrorist attacks, two of the bridge's four lanes were open to traffic during the festivals. Since 2001, security concerns have caused the entire span to be closed to vehicles during these events.[citation needed]

The first person to jump off the New River Gorge Bridge was Burton Ervin, who lives in Cowen, West Virginia, and was a coal-mine foreman. Burton jumped on August 1, 1979, using a conventional North American Aerodynamics Mini Rig System with a 32-foot Lopo canopy. Four BASE jumpers have died at the bridge, three of these during Bridge Day festivals.[13][14][15][16]

Probably because of its height (and lack of barriers), the bridge has regularly attracted suicide jumpers.[17][18]

 

Panorama of the New River Gorge Bridge
Gallery

The West Virginia state quarter, released in 2005, features the New River Gorge Bridge.

 

Bridge as seen from the National Park Service Visitors Center, with fog in the New River Gorge below

 

Close-up of the bridge supports

Walkway to observation area near the Visitors Center

 

The New River Gorge Bridge as seen from a small fixed-wing airplane. The Tunney Hunsaker Bridge is also visible.

See also
icon Bridges portal
50 State Quarters
List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in West Virginia
List of bridges in the United States by height
List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia
List of highest bridges
List of suicide sites
Midland Trail, a nearby National Scenic Byway
National Register of Historic Places listings in Fayette County, West Virginia
New River Gorge National River, the park surrounding the bridge
References and notes
"WVDOH: 2006 Fayette County Traffic Counts" (PDF). West Virginia Division of Highways. 2006. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
"National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
"Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 8/12/13 Through 8/16/13". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
George R. Carter, Jr. "Mind the Gap: Building the World's Longest Steel-Arch Bridge," American Heritage, April/May 2006.
Green, Diana Kyle (October 2011). "Fayette County High". Wonderful West Virginia: 4–7.
Kistler, Maura (September 5, 2011). "New River Gorge Bridge: 10 Little Known Facts". New River Gorge Adventure Guide. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
Erin M. Riebe (May 2013). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: New River Gorge Bridge" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
"Images of West Virginia". The Best of West Virginia. The Gallery. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
"Bridge Walk"
"Bridge Walk". Retrieved 2009-11-11.
Green, Diana Kile (October 2011). "Bridge Walk Wows". Wonderful West Virginia: 8–9.
"BASE" is an acronym that stands for four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: buildings, antennas, spans (bridges), and earth (cliffs).
Complete Bridge Day History, My West Virginia Home website
BASE Jumping Fatality List
"Californian Dies in Bridge Day Jump When Chute Fails to Open in Time". Huntington News. 2006-10-22. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
Whitener, Lew (October 23, 2006). "Bridge Day tragedy". The Fayette Tribune. Fayetteville Oak Hill, WV: Register-Herald.com, The Register-Herald. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
Janiskee, Bob (September 16, 2008). "At New River Gorge National River, an Iconic Bridge Attracts Suicide Jumpers". National Parks Traveler. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
Tyson, Daniel (August 25, 2015). "Man dies after jumping from New River Gorge Bridge". Fayette Tribune. Register-Herald.com, The Register-Herald. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
New River Gorge Bridge (category)
Bridge Day (official site)
Bridge Day History
New River Gorge Bridge at Bridges & Tunnels
New River Gorge Bridge at Roads to the Future
New River Gorge Bridge at HighestBridges.com
New River Gorge Bridge at Structurae
Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. WV-41, "New River Gorge Bridge, Spanning New River near Fayetteville, Fayetteville, Fayette County, WV", 12 photos, 1 color transparency, 3 data pages, 2 photo caption pages
World's longest arch bridge span
vte
National Register of Historic Places in New River Gorge National River
Categories: U.S. Route 19Bridges completed in 1977Transportation in Fayette County, West VirginiaLandmarks in West VirginiaBuildings and structures in Fayette County, West VirginiaTourist attractions in Fayette County, West VirginiaRoad bridges in West VirginiaWeathering steelHistoric American Engineering Record in West VirginiaBridges on the United States Numbered HighwaysRoad bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in West VirginiaNational Register of Historic Places in Fayette County, West VirginiaSteel bridges in the United StatesTruss arch bridges in the United States
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