TX Rainbow Bridge

[henzilla]

Two ship channel crossings in Houston


Have crossed in large utility trucks and always felt movement, especially the older 610. Lost a transmission in a 1960 International Texoma Digger truck halfway up in 1981...long night waiting on company wrecker feeling movement sitting still
The traffic jam I kind of caused was epic! Lot’s of angry honks as I just waved!

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The old loop 610 being rebuilt wider and with less grade.

The construction website

https://www.shipchannelbridge.org/

Last years engineering pause oops

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...e-14954369.php

The Beltway 8 Hartman bridge, same design for rebuild of 610

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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Hartman_Bridge

[AKsuited]

Aerial view

The huge gabions blocking original piers, or whatever term is, we’re added during rehab, how many close calls in fog through the years.

Those are called dolphins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphin_(structure)

Part of my career as a civil engineer included nine years as a bridge inspector...

Harry

[EUGENE]

The longest continuous bridge in the USA. Four miles long, built 1966, 196' above the water at high tide, it is a long WAY down. Only two lanes wide also.

[jgoertz]

The longest continuous bridge in the USA. Four miles long, built 1966, 196' above the water at high tide, it is a long WAY down. Only two lanes wide also.

We (my wife and I -- on our tandem) have crossed the Astoria Bridge twice. It's probably my least favorite bicycle/bridge crossing. We've also crossed the Columbia (by tandem) at Stevenson (Bridge of the Gods) and at The Dalles. Neither of those latter bridges was as uncomfortable crossing as the Astoria Bridge.

[akbeemer]

The longest continuous bridge in the USA. Four miles long, built 1966, 196' above the water at high tide, it is a long WAY down. Only two lanes wide also.

Would not the sections of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel that are between the tunnels be considered continuous bridges? I believe they are well in excess of 4 miles.

[AKsuited]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trave...cross/2118739/

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway - 126,122 feet

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the longest continuous bridge passing over water, the waters of New Orleans's Lake Pontchartrain to be exact. The bridge is so long that for 8 of its 24 miles, you can't see land in any direction.


Harry

[Lee]

This explains what Continuous Truss means. I had to look it up

A continuous truss bridge is a truss bridge which extends without hinges or joints across three or more supports. A continuous truss bridge may use less material than a series of simple trusses because a continuous truss distributes live loads across all the spans; in a series of simple trusses, each truss must be capable of supporting the entire load.

Although some continuous truss bridges resemble cantilever bridges and may be constructed using cantilever techniques, there are important differences between the two forms. Cantilever bridges need not connect rigidly mid-span, as the cantilever arms are self-supporting. Although some cantilever bridges appear continuous due to decorative trusswork at the joints, these bridges will remain standing if the connections between the cantilevers are broken, or if the suspended span (if any) is removed. Conversely, continuous truss bridges rely on rigid truss connections throughout the structure for stability. Severing a continuous truss mid-span endangers the structure. However, continuous truss bridges do not experience the tipping forces that a cantilever bridge must resist, because the main span of a continuous truss bridge is supported at both ends.

It is possible to convert a series of simple truss spans into a continuous truss. For example, the northern approach to the Golden Gate Bridge was originally constructed as a series of five simple truss spans. In 2001, a seismic retrofit project connected the five spans into a single continuous truss bridge.

Here's rankings for Continuous Truss bridges in the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...s_bridge_spans

[henzilla]

Those are called dolphins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolphin_(structure)

Part of my career as a civil engineer included nine years as a bridge inspector...

Harry

Well there you go

Knew somebody here would know.

[henzilla]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trave...cross/2118739/

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway - 126,122 feet

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the longest continuous bridge passing over water, the waters of New Orleans's Lake Pontchartrain to be exact. The bridge is so long that for 8 of its 24 miles, you can't see land in any direction.


Harry

Have crossed that lon————-g thumpety thump 10 bridge many times but not on a bike. Never a good place for a breakdown for sure. Driving westbound with mom sleeping in lower starboard side bunk over rear wheels, Outside dual let go. Luckily close to end and got off that bridge. She was mad at me and brother for going across it right before dark... she was really happy when that happened
Yeah, it’s long! And swampy!

[rangerreece]

Is that the bridge doggies cross when they die? Because all dogs go to heaven.

[henzilla]

Back in the day looking out in middle of nothing in the Golden Triangle

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