Bridge to the Future

Photos by Terry Lowenthal/Bechtel Corp.

The longest main suspension span built in the United States in four decades will be christened later this year with the opening of the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge, just south of Seattle, Washington.

Designed and built by a joint venture of Bechtel and Kiewit Pacific, the new bridge is adjacent to an existing bridge linking Tacoma and Gig Harbor. That bridge was built in the 1950s to replace “Galloping Gertie,” the infamous span that collapsed in a 1940 windstorm.

By the end of the 20th century, increasing traffic had overwhelmed the carrying capacity of the existing bridge, and the Washington State Department of Transportation decided to build a second span. The project got the green light in 2002.

Construction of the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge has included installation of caissons for two 540-foot (165-meter)-tall towers, construction of the towers, cable spinning, and deck assembly and installation. In addition, roadways at both ends of the bridge have been improved.

The deck stretches 5,400 feet (1,646 meters) from end to end, and the main span is 2,800 feet (854 meters) from tower to tower. The new bridge will carry eastbound traffic, while the existing parallel bridge goes westbound.

Here is a look, in pictures, at a Bechtel signature project in the making.

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