Bac de Roda Bridge

After regenerating the urban fabric of the city with small- and medium-sized interventions in the first 1980s and coinciding with Barcelona's preparations for the candidature for the 1992 Olympic Games, the city started building bigger projects. It is said that the Bac de Roda Bridge (or the Calatrava Bridge as it is popularly known) was the starting point for all these bigger inerventions. The steel and concrete bridge, with its twin, pristine white, inclined and split arches, helped to unite two working-class districts at the northern part of the city that were separated by train tracks. Still, what the City Council wanted was something more than just a bridge, they wanted a symbol or an icon that reflected the new urban and political strategy to regenerate also those parts less touristy and known of Barcelona. Calatrava, though he had never built a bridge before, was chosen for the new structure (the new image). People who know about bridges say that it is much more complex (therefore expensive) than what would have been necessary -like many other Calatrava bridges around the world- but the real purpose of the project, its social impact, succeeded and the bridge became an emblem of the pre-Olympic architecture of the city. The future urbanization of the Sagrera Park, which starts at this bridge, will turn it into an obsolete structure, but the Park's masterplan not only leaves the bridge intact but includes a glass dome under it to cover the new high-speed train lines and keep the bridge's urban and social iconic status. It won the FAD Prize in 1987 in the category of Architecture (the first time an engineering work won this prize) and was a finalist for the I Mies van der Rohe Pavilion Award for European Architecture in 1988.

Photo by catarina_555

The Bach de Roda bridge was built as part of the revitalization of two poorer areas of Barcelona, Catalonia. Spurred on by the city's selection to host the 1992 Olympic Games, the bridge was one of the first stages of improvement for the Sant Andreu and Sant Marti areas of the city.
Along with this bridge, a new rail station was built; all part of a larger plan to improve the infrastructure of the entire city of Barcelona. As with many of Calatrava's bridges, this bridge serves both pedestrians and automobiles, giving access to parks below on either side.
To further accentuate the city, balconies allow pedestrians to stop along the bridge to enjoy a view of the city.

Photo by hideki_terashi

Bridge dimensions
· Length: 423.2 ft (129.0 m) | Max. Span: 150.9 ft (46.0 m)
· Arch Height: 32.8 ft (10.0 m) | Height over Railbed: 26.2 ft (8.0 m)

Photo by littleeve

"The bridge spans the railway tracks between the main streets 'Bac de Roda' and 'Felip II', which run from north to south, connecting the sea and the city.
· Materials and dimensions: Double arch and middle section of the road and footpath, steel; lower part of the steel arches, steel and concrete combination; abutments, white concrete; total length 180m, max. span 68m.
The twin arches widen slightly at both ends, increasing structural rigidity and permitting the passage of pedestrians on footpaths to either side. Steps follow the line of the arches on both sides of the railway. The roadway lights are in the middle of the bridge, while the footpath is lit by strip lighting integrated into handrails."
[Santiago Calatrava, Engineering Architecture, Santiago Calatrava, Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel-Boston-Berlin, 1990]

Photo by buichinh2001

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Puente De La Mujer (Bridge Of The Woman)

Though many of Santiago Calatrava’s bridges—nearly 40 built so far—feature inclined pylons or arched forms, each example pushes the limits of structural ingenuity and sculptural grace in a different way. This architect/engineer has repeatedly reinvented the possibilities for asymmetrical, single-pylon, cable-stayed suspension systems—most recently with the pivoting Puente de la Mujer at Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires.

Donated by Alberto L. Gonzales and his family to this city of Buenos Aires, Santiago Calatrava's Puente De La Mujer (Bridge Of The Woman) is the architect's only work in South America. The 335-foot-long suspension pedestrian bridge is broken up into three sections, two static and one mobile. The central portion of the bridge was designed to rotate 90 degrees to allow water traffic to pass, with the two static portions connecting to pedestrian streets on either side of the dam. Most of the bridge's weight rests upon its central support, in which motors are located allowing the bridge to rotate. The bridge was primarily built in Victoria, Spain and taken to Buenos Aires in parts over five months. In its design, Puente De La Mujer is somewhat related to the Alamillo Bridge in Seville in its radical asymmetry and expressive tension, though its scale and angles are admittedly less grandiose and its asymmetry is reversed from the Seville bridge.

Calatrava is said to have requested examples of Argentina's typical music upon receiving this commission. As a result, the bridge is abstractly meant to illustrate a couple dancing Tango, the man towering over the woman who is leaning back horizontally. This, along with the fact that the surrounding neighborhood has streets primarily named after women accounts for the name of the bridge.

Photo by Pablo F. Cepero

Dynamic in its sharp, arrowlike precision, the pylon, holding taut rungs of cables, reaches a height of 128 feet. Its great triangulating V-form leads with a crescendo from the axis of a major avenue, gesturing toward the new, higher part of the city on the opposite bank. The cable-strung V forms an acute angle in the structure, with concrete inserted as counterweight just behind its apex. The resulting silhouette, supporting a wood-planked pedestrian walkway, appears remarkably minimal and deceptively simple.

The bridge must improve pedestrian circulation and connect the plazas on either side of the embankment, while at the same time leaving unobstructed a dock that is still used for water traffic.The solution is a structure that consists of a rotating suspension bridge, 102m (335 ft) long, set between a pair of fixed approach spans. The central section is suspended by cables from an inclined pylon 39m (128 ft) high. This section of the bridge can rotate 90 degrees to allow free passage of water traffic. The weight of the mechanical tower balances the weight of the pylon, allowing the rotational system to be simplified.

Photo by jamecl99

Porteños, as Buenos Aires residents are called, have long seen value in architectural monumentality and symbolism, as seen in their beloved obelisk, Casa Rosada, and even La Bombonera. Added to that list was Puente De La Mujer, which was seen as a symbol of a new era in Argentine history, and the new millennium. These hopes, however, were largely dashed due to the current disrepair that the bridge is in. Only three years after its inauguration the bridge has been closed for some time due to missing screws and slats of wood which make it unsafe for pedestrians. The city of Buenos Aires has never assumed responsibility for the bridge's upkeep, choosing instead to have the Gonzales family (who donated the $6 million bridge) to maintain it. The bridge is thus not operating, while its upkeep is sorted out. In the meantime, the bridge gives Puerto Madero a beautiful modern counterpoint to its brick industrial buildings which have recently been rehabbed to house restaurants, shops and lofts.

Measurements:
Total length: 525 ft.
Central rotating span: 335 ft.
Width of deck: 16.4 ft.
Height of pylon: 128 ft.
Gross square footage: 8,611 sq. ft.

Photo by lucho calatayud

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Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn on Long Island in New York City at the Narrows, the reach connecting the relatively protected upper bay with the larger lower bay.
When it opened in 1964, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was the world's longest suspension span.

The bridge is named for Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, the first known European navigator to enter New York Harbor and the Hudson River, while crossing The Narrows. It has a center span of 4,260 feet (1,298 m) and was the largest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its completion in 1964, until it was surpassed by the Humber Bridge in the United Kingdom in 1981. It now has the eighth longest center span in the world, and is the largest suspension bridge in the United States. Its massive towers can be seen throughout a good part of the New York metropolitan area, including from spots in all five boroughs of New York City.

The bridge furnishes a critical link in the local and regional highway system. It is the starting point of the New York City Marathon. The bridge marks the gateway to New York Harbor; all cruise ships and most container ships arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey must pass underneath the bridge and thus must be built to accommodate the clearance under the bridge.

The naming of the bridge for Verrazzano was controversial. It was first proposed in 1951 by the Italian Historical Society of America, when the bridge was in the planning stage. After Moses turned down the initial proposal, the society undertook a public relations campaign to re-establish the reputation of the largely forgotten Verrazano and to promote the idea of naming the bridge for him. The campaign was largely the effort of Society director John N. LaCorte, who in 1954 successfully lobbied New York Governor W. Averell Harriman to proclaim April 17 (the anniversary of Verrazano's arrival in the harbor) as Verrazano Day. Subsequent efforts by LaCorte resulted in similar proclamations by governors of states along the East Coast. After these successes, LaCorte reapproached the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, but was turned down a second time. The manager of the authority, backed by Moses, said the name was too long and that he had never heard of Verrazano.

Photo by AllWaysNY

The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened on November 21, 1964, at a cost of $320.1 million. The six-lane upper deck was opened to traffic, while the six-lane lower deck was reserved for future use. Moses spoke of the completed project, "These gigantic, suspended rainbow arches of steel and stone are surely evidence of Divine inspiration."

Some 12,000 men worked on the bridge; about 1,000 men worked on site during the construction schedule's peak. The construction workers consisted of both local union members, most of whom were from Brooklyn Union 361 and Manhattan Union 40 with previous bridge building experience in New York, and "boomers," who were itinerant union workers and site supervisors traveling at the end of each project and moving on to the next work site, no matter the distance. Despite their heroic efforts, none of the workers were invited to the bridge's opening ceremonies.

Photo by glennQNYC

During its first full year of operation in 1965, the six-lane Verrazano-Narrows Bridge carried approximately 48,000 vehicles per day. According to traffic projections done at that time, the lower deck was to open in 1975. However, increased traffic accelerated the opening of the lower deck to June 1969. Each deck carries three westbound lanes and three eastbound lanes of I-278.The one-way toll (paid westbound into Staten Island only) in cash is $10 per car or $4.50 per motorcycle. E-ZPass users get a discount of $1.70 per car.

As of March 2007, there is a reduced toll of $4.80 for Staten Island residents. There is also a significant carpool discount. From 1964 to 1986, the toll was collected in both directions, until Staten Island residents concerned about pollution from idling vehicles called for one way tolls. However, as of 2007 the eastbound toll booths are still in place, requiring drivers to slow down. While the high cost of the toll between Brooklyn and Staten Island has always been an issue for residents, some favor the toll because they see it as a way to curb population growth on Staten Island.

Photo by dstueber

Type of bridge:Suspension

Construction started:August 13, 1959
Opened to traffic (upper deck):November 21, 1964
Opened to traffic (lower deck):June 28, 1969
Length of main span:4,260 feet
Length of each side span:1,215 feet
Length, anchorage to anchorage:6,690 feet
Total length of bridge and approaches:13,700 feet
Width of bridge:103 feet
Number of decks:2 decks
Number of traffic lanes:12 lanes (6 upper, 6 lower)
Height of towers above mean high water:693 feet
Clearance at center above mean high water:228 feet
Deepest foundation below mean high water:170 feet
Structural steel used in approaches:20,000 tons
Steel used in towers and suspended structure:107,000 tons
Reinforcing steel used in entire structure:34,000 tons
Number of cables:4 cables
Diameter of each of four cables:36 inches
Length of each cable:7,205 feet
Diameter of each wire:0.196 inch
Total number of wires per cable:26,108 wires
Total length of wires:143,000 miles
Concrete used in anchorages:378,000 cubic yards
Concrete used in tower piers:196,500 cubic yards
Concrete used on bridge roadway:20,100 cubic yards
Concrete used on approaches:130,000 cubic yards
Cost of original structure:$320,126,000

Photo by pmarella

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Gateshead Millennium Bridge

Gateshead Millennium Bridge - the world's first and only tilting bridge!
Designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects and engineered by Gifford, the bridge takes its place at the end of a line of distinguished bridges across the River Tyne, including the Tyne Bridge and Robert Stephenson's High Level Bridge.
Linking Gateshead with Newcastle via Gateshead Quays (described as one of the best places in Europe by Tony Blair) and Newcastle's Quayside, the bridge not only serves a functional purpose as the River Tyne's only foot and cycle bridge, but its grace and engineering attract people from all over the world.


The bridge was lifted into place in one piece by the Asian Hercules II, one of the world's largest floating cranes, on 20 November 2000. It was opened to the public on 17 September 2001, and was dedicated by Queen Elizabeth II on 7 May 2002. The bridge, which cost £22m to build, was part funded by the Millennium Commission and European Regional Development Fund. It was built by Volker Stevin.

Already acclaimed worldwide for its physical and aesthetic beauty, it has fast become a significant tourist attraction in its own right. The bridge was the focus of a Spencer Tunick installation on 17 July 2005.


The 130m long deck is parabolic in elevation and of steel box section that tapers in plan towards the centre of the deck. It carries a pedestrian footway that varies from 3m to 5m in width as well as a 2.5m cantilevered cycleway. The main arch is also parabolic in shape and tapers both in plan and elevation. Whilst small river craft can sail beneath the bridge, for larger craft the cable-stayed double-arched structure pivots at the abutments through an angle of 40 degrees to give the 25m navigational clearance as specified by the client, Gateshead Borough Council. At the fully open position the suspension cables lay horizontal holding the pair of arches together. Huge 14 tonne castings on either side support bearings which withstand the outward and radial thrusts imposed.


Six 450mm diameter Hydraulic rams (three on each side, each powered by a 55kW electric motor) rotate the bridge back on large bearings to allow small ships and boats (up to 25m tall) to pass underneath. The bridge takes as little as 4.5 minutes to rotate through the full 40° from closed to open, depending on wind speed. Its appearance during this manoeuvre has led to it being nicknamed the "Blinking Eye Bridge".

Photo by eloc

The construction of the bridge won the architects Wilkinson Eyre the 2002 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize and won Gifford the 2003 IStructE Supreme Award. In winning the Stirling Prize, Wilkinson Eyre became the first, and so far the only, firm of architects to retain British architecture's most prestigious prize — they won the 2001 prize for the Magna Science Adventure Centre. In 2005, the bridge received the Outstanding Structure Award from International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE).

The building cost was £22m.

Photo by borichar

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