Bikes and Bridges

[SilvrT]

I agree the tampa bridge is a good one, but, has anyone out there been on the Astoria, Oregon bridge? It starts in Astoria with a 360 degree turn to gain altitude. You can look into homes built on the hillside in town. Then you keep climbing in order to be high enough for ships to pass under you. As you cross the center section you drive on steel grating. After crossing the main channel you drop to almost water level then 4 miles later you enter Washington state. It is one fantastic bridge.

 

Been across that bridge several times on 3 different bikes one of them a 1100 Virago ... awesome bridge! Honestly can't remember the steel grating being an issue.

[scotty]

I like bridges and I love grated bridges. If you look down it feels like your flying. The funny part is 10 feet up an extension ladder I become the biggest knee shaking, stomach quivering, white knuckled coward you ever did see.

We found this bridge in washington. We turned around just to go over it again.

[Mike G in SC]

The old Talmadge Bridge from SC to Savannah, GA, while large enough for many ships, had a metal grate span in the middle (about 100 yards).

SO, when you rode over it on a bike, not only did you have to keep it steady on the metal surface,,,, but when you look straight down you were looking at the river below you. At speed, you didn't see the bridge surface.

 

Actually very cool but,,, high pucker factor.

 

They replaced it several years ago for bigger ships. Pretty new bridge but took the excitement out.

[Eddie]

Big Mike doesnt like bridges at all , and my neighbor I ride with is the same way. Myself Im worried about deer all the time at night .

[relic]

I like bridges and I love grated bridges. If you look down it feels like your flying. The funny part is 10 feet up an extension ladder I become the biggest knee shaking, stomach quivering, white knuckled coward you ever did see.

We found this bridge in washington. We turned around just to go over it again.

 

Totally opposite of this. I was a telephone lineman for 38 years and climbing ladders and poles and even mid span never bothered me. Just something about bridges and looking down. I think it stems from when I was a kid and we walked across train tressels. I always thought I was going to fall through the tracks.

[1joeranger]

Here is one for you to test your mettle! It's wooden and it sways!! OH Fun! Coming from a guy that use to jump outta airplanes in flight!! Also for those inclined, try the High Five interstate overpasses in Dallas, TX! http://jeremywoodhouse.photodeck.com/media/0d069492-c1af-11df-af38-00270e09af22-low-angle-view-of-interchange-overpasses-high-five-interchange

[StarFan]

I have always had a phobia of high bridges on the bike. I have crossed many border bridges and they always seem to be high and I get stuck at the top so the wind will blow me around. I have also crossed the Mackinac bridge in a rain storm and had to use the grate lane as the paved was closed. Simply I hate bridges,

Now someone sent me this link and confirms my fears. I know I could not cross this.

Some here might like this challenge. I would like to know how they built it?

Enjoy the clip.

 

http://www.youtube.com/embed/4T4vc1QqiPM

 

This bridge is on the Vest coast of Norway. Been there - seen it. Looks scary to look at but is quite pleasant to drive over if you are not afraid of heights. The reason for the height is of cause allowing boats/ships to pass under.

 

How they build it ? Well, Norwegians have quite an experience in building bridges over their fjords and have many great looking bridges. They drill and drive steel columns down deep into the seabed (most of the time the bed is plain rock) and make a form around them. Then they pump the sea out of the form and start the drilling of anchors and rebars. Pour the concrete and they have foundation columns rising from the seabed. Then they generally use barges that have hydraylic legs that rest on the bottom of the sea to use as platforms for erecting the forms for the bridge itself.

This is just a very uncomplete general description - they have all kind of clever tools and equipment for this that they have designed specially for these bridges. They are actually very good at this. There are companys in Norway that specialize in bridge building - other contractors stay away.

 

I just came back from delivering a bid on a tunnel contract in North Norway (62 million US$) and at the bid opening later that day it turned out that we had the most attractive bid for the project. There is another contractor who is gonna build a bridge over a small fjord to connect our tunnels that are on each side of the fjord.The bridge is just under a mile long and the foundation columns are resting on the seabed around 110 feet deep at the shore side. The middle of the fjord is around 1.000 feet deep and there are no columns. The bridge is hanged up by wires in the middle. For them - A piece of cake. For us others - How in the world do they do this !