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Sunday, October 27, 2013

Touring Washington D.C. Bridges

By Gary Mullen


Whether travelers are an architectural appreciator or just enjoy significant historical structures, travelers won't want to miss the numerous amazing beautiful bridges in Washington D.C.. Featuring interesting tales that tell the history of the country, Washington D.C. Bridges tell stories all their own.

Arlington Memorial Bridge

Regularly said to be one of the prettiest bridges in Washington D.C, the Arlington Memorial Bridge is full of symbolism. Connecting the Northerly area with the South, Arlington Memorial Bridge crosses over the Potomac River, linking the Lincoln Memorial to Columbia Island. Loaded in art and detail, the Arlington Memorial Bridge displays famous sculptures such as "The Arts of War", which were created by Leo Friedlander. Along the pylons on each pier, visitors can also see the work of sculptor Carl Paul Jennewein, which are large circulars discs completed with eagles and faces.

Francis Scott Key Bridge

Finished in 1923, the Francis Scott Key Bridge was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers. This bridge provides straightforward commuting between Virginia, Washington D.C. and Arlington County. The FSK Bridge is the oldest bridge that crosses over the Potomac River. Architects and designers Nathan Wyeth and Max Tyler made use of a classical revival arch design when creating the plans for this bridge.

John Philip Sousa Bridge

Named after John Philip Sousa, the famous composer of many American marches, the John Philip Sousa Bridge carries Pennsylvania Avenue over the Anacostia River. The Sousa bridge was opened in 1940 employing the same masonry piers that were utilised for the previous bridge that stood in its place.

Chain Bridge

Carrying virtually 22,000 autos a day the Chain Bridge crosses over the Potomac River in Little Falls area of Washington, D.C. This girder designed bridge was made in 1939 from steel. The Chain Bridge marks the site where the Union Military gained their access to the countryside encampments within Fairfax County. The bridge features a massive crossbeam structure which seems exactly like a pergola or long garden arbor. The present bridge is the second structure to stand in place as the 1st Chain Bridge was initially opened in 1793. Chain linked trusses were added in 1810 to the initial bridge structure, giving the structure its popular name. All together there's been a total of 8 different version of this bridge in the location on which it now sits.

14th Street Bridge

Composed from five bridges that all cross over the Potomac River, the 14th Street Bridge connects DC, Virginia and Arlington County This structure carries many alternative names consisting of , Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge, the Long Bridge, Charles R. Fenwick Bridge, Rochambeau Bridge and the George Mason Memorial Bridge. Of all the Washington D.C. Bridges, the Chain Bridge carries the most mournful mythos. This bridge is the site where the Air Florida Flight 90 airplane crash happened on January 13, 1982. Today repairs are continuing to be finished on this bridge to repair damage caused during that tragedy.




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