Gallery View on the river The Silver Bridge, which connected Point Pleasant with Gallipolis, Ohio, had opened to traffic in 1928. Shipped with USPS First Class. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Construction for the $131 million Wellsburg Bridge project is planned to pierce the waters of the Ohio River for the first time this June. The Silver Bridge not only allowed direct access between the State capitals of Ohio and West Virginia but also provide clearance for the cargo ships that passed through the Ohio River. Could it have possibly been prevented? It was rush hour, and the bridge was packed with cars. Twenty-one people survived, but 46 died in the disaster. It killed a construction worker late Monday night and paralyzed traffic throughout the region, also crushing the front of a semi truck underneath; the driver sustained minor injuries. These guidelines, still in use today, require all public bridges containing a 20-foot-plus span to be examined every two years. The Chester Bridge under construction in 1896 from the East Liverpool side of the Ohio River looking toward the soon-to-be town of Chester, West Virginia. When the eyebar broke, the 1,753foot suspension bridge plunged into the river, tilling rushhour occupants of cars lined bumpertobumper across the span. While the cause of the deadly collapse would later be revealed as a construction issue coupled with an overload of traffic, some wondered whether the tragic disaster was caused by something far more ominous. Schoharie Creek BridgeDeaths: 10. louisville bridges, ohio river - ohio river bridge stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images . But then, she noticed a vibration beneath her and reversed her car. And that tragic night still lives on in the memories of those who survived. If you got stuck in the middle of that bridge, it would wave back and forth, back and forth.. The bridge was originally meant to be suspended with traditional wire cables. The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge is now closed indefinitely "due to numerous and continued violations of the bridge's weight limits," Covington Police announced late Wednesday. Featured Oct 2013/Updated Jul 2017. Five men were drowned and three injured, one of them fatally, this morning, when the center span of the Midland and Atlantic bridge being constructed across the Big Sandy River between Kenova, West Virginia, and Catlettsburg, Ky., collapsed and plunged into the stream. The bridge linked Point Pleasant (West Virginia) to Gallipoli (Ohio) and passed over the Ohio River. The ship had been going its maximum speed, about 16 mph. Market data provided by Factset. Since the bridge disaster was the second shocking thing that had put the region on the map after the Mothman sightings, it was only a matter of time before some connected the two. 1603 11th Street, Portsmouth OH, 45662 The eyebars used were long steel plates, 2 inches thick with a 12-inch face, and ranged from 55 to 44 feet in length. The Interstate 64 eastbound lanes that connect New Albany, Indiana, to Louisville, Kentucky via the Sherman Minton Bridge will close Nov. 28, Indiana transportation officials said. But what actually made the Silver Bridge collapse? JOHN NOLAN May 27, 1989. Several witnesses reported a car and a pickup truck fell into the river, however only the two occupants of the car were recovered, no other vehicles were found and no other persons were . But no one would be able to detect a crucial problem with one of the bridges eyebars. Thirty-seven vehicles were in the Silver Bridge . Debris littered the water, the tragedy had happened on the coldest day of the year. They also bore the hanging weight of vertical supports that held up the bridge deck below. His partner, Robert Towe, didnt make it. So, no one knew that an eyebar had become defective until it was too late. Va . He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. Hills and Kilns page 187. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. The collapse of the Silver Bridge and the details described are likewise based on the actual collapse of the Silver Bridge on December 15, 1967. There was absolutely nothing I could do. Fox News Flash top headlines for November 2. The result of the proceedings against this bridge on account of its alleged obstruction to the free navigation of the Ohio river, is well known to the public. The Russian ship, Aleksandr Suvorov, a river cruise ship 445 feet long and almost 4000 tons, plowed into a bridge support at Ulynaovsk on the Volga River because of going through the wrong part of the bridge. Anyone can read what you share. Of the 46 people who died, two were never found. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The bridge connected Point Pleasant with Gallipolis, Ohio. Ohio River Bridge, Huntington W Va West Virginia Postcard Please see our other postcards posted from Huntington West Virginia. Fortunately, there were no victims. Thirty-one vehicles plunged into the icy waters of the Ohio River. Four people were injured when a ceiling collapsed in a nightclub in Dsseldorf. The shiny aluminum suspension bridge suddenly collapsed just over a week before Christmas, plunging 32 vehicles into the freezing cold Ohio River. FOX 46 showed this viral video of reporter Amber Roberts and photojournalist Jonthan Monte to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). My Study & Interpretations of Ancient Egypt, Irish Journalists and the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, John Masterton 18461908, Helen Scollay 18481924 and their thirteen children, The development of class consciousness in Britain between 18201848, READ/DOWNLOAD%< Iconography of Old Kingdom Elite Tombs: Analysis and Interpretation, Theoretical, Americas two original sins: slavery and the tariff, The Experiences of Billy Pilgrim: A Non-Fictional Story. A Brief History. Fortysix persons were killed. Plus, this design would make the bridge one of the first structures of its kind in the United States. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Kentucky will be responsible for financing and building the downtown portion of the project, which includes . Transportation officials said the suggested alternate route during the closing would be I-265 in Indiana to I-65. It was one of the worst catastrophes in American history. Dozens of cars sat bumper-to-bumper on the structure. On December 15,1967 at approximately 5 p.m., the U.S. Highway 35 bridge connecting Point Pleasant, West Virginia and Kanauga, Ohio suddenly collapsed into the Ohio River. the ohio river bridges east end crossing project includes financing, design, construction, and operation and maintenance for 35 years of a 2,510-foot main span, twin-tower cable-stayed bridge across the ohio river that will link prospect, ky and utica, in; an 1,800-foot twin-bore tunnel; and 19 additional bridges, along with associated roadway The existing bridge deck is 22.5 ft wide with narrow 10 ft lanes and 1.25 ft shoulders and does not accommodate pedestrians. He was driving a truck across the bridge when it collapsed and threw him into the river. They described the legendary Mothman as a 7-foot-tall beast with a wingspan of 10 feet and the ability to fly as fast as 100 miles per hour. WEST VIRGINIA 12-YEAR-OLD'S BODY FOUND IN OHIO RIVER. Highlights of the hike: - Rhine - Old Town - Maritime Museum Last December marked the 50th anniversary of the collapse of this bridge, built in 1928, which carried as many as 4,000 vehicles over the Ohio River between Ohio and West Virginia each day. See photos for descriptions. The Silver Bridge at Point Pleasant, West Virginia collapsed into the river on December 15, 1967. And after one inspection in 1965, the structure underwent about $30,000 in repairs. All rights reserved. The Ohio River is based on the real world river of the same name, which flows between the real world towns of Gallipolis, Ohio and Point Pleasant, West Virginia. It was clear that a replacement was needed. The strength of the bridge as completed by Mr. Ellet, was sufficient to sustain 297 tons, or 32 laden road wagons, 172 horses and 500 people, a which equal to 4000 men. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The Silver Bridge only used two. At St. Maryssome 100 miles upstream from Point Pleasantanother 40-year-old bridge of the same design was immediately closed and later demolished. Highlights of the hike: - Rhine - Old Town - Maritime Museum For days rescue workers pulled smashed cars and bodies from the river. See the article in its original context from. The 5 km long circuit leads from Dsseldorf's old town along both sides of the Rhine. The US 51 Bridge is the longest bridge in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and is the westernmost crossing of the Ohio River. But it also came to be known for its tendency to rock and shake. The board said its tests pinpointed the break at the first Joint in the north eyebar chain on the west side of the Ohio tower. The eyebars formed a ohain for the bridge similar to the more common woven wire cables used on other suspension bridges. Their bodies would later be discovered in the family car. Transportation officials are scheduling a 9-day closure of an Ohio River bridge that connects Indiana and Kentucky. It was a long way out into the water. Another rescuer, Bill McCormick, observed people hanging on to flotsam from the tractor-trailers that had been on the bridge.. Back at the West Virginia end, Charlene Wood was approaching in her car. The Silver Bridge was built in 1928 and connected Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. Constructed in 1928, connected Point Pleasant and Kanauga, OH. Silver Bridge Collapse On December 15, 1967, at approximately 5:00 pm, many reported the sound of a large boom or gunshot sound, followed by the complete collapse of the span of the Silver. Close Modal Suggest a Correction VA long suspension bridge over a deepwater channel of the Ohio River collapsed Friday , plunging an estimated 75 cars and trucks into the swirling waters . Rush hour collapse on 15 December 1967 resulted in 31 vehicles falling into the river, killing 46 and injuring 9. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. 740-353-3101. When the Silver Bridge collapsed late in the day on December 15, 1967, it changed the way bridges were constructed and inspected, but unfortunately this change in national standards came at the cost of forty-six lives. First eye-bar suspension bridge of its type in US. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. All cards are from a long time collectors estate. In the months that followed, further encounters with the bizarre beast were reported; however, they were overshadowed by a tragic event that occurred on December 15, 1967. The American Bridge Company, which won the bid for the project, settled on the cheaper method of using eyebars instead of cables of steel wire, the sort used in famous suspension bridges like the Brooklyn and Golden Gate. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. On December 15, 1967, the "Mothman" prophecy came true when the Silver Bridge over the Ohio River collapsed tumbling cars into the cold water! Sadly, two bodies of known victims remain missing to this day. Updated December 2, 2021. In all, 31 vehicles went into the Ohio River that day, sending 64 people into its 44-degree waters. Read the rest of our Structural Failure Week coverage: Contributing writer, Timeline (@Timeline_Now); reader and excavator of generally good things. The most alarming part of the conclusion was that there was no way for engineers or maintenance crews to have found the ruinous defect, save by taking apart the entire joint, whichsince it was integral to the bridges structural integritywould have been merely restating the problem. or redistributed. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. Interstate 75 was closed in both directions in Chattanooga on Monday after part of a bridge collapsed onto the roadway below. The board said it also found deep rusting on some other parts of the bridge but no indication that any of the main bridge supports had deteriorated to a point that they would be inadequate to carry their load. A few hours after the collapse, the St. Mary's Bridge was closed for safety as its design was similar to that of the Point Pleasant . Up to 4,000 of these heftier vehicles made their way across the bridge per day, causing stress on the eyebars. On a cold winter evening, the bridge suddenly collapsed due to the failure of the connection between the eyebar to the first joint on the north side of the bridge. Sadly, it was only the first of many tragic days that West Virginians would suffer. However, an alternate bid for an eyebar design ended up being cheaper. Digging Deeper. On December 15, 1967, it crumbled into the Ohio River during rush hour, killing 46 people without warning. I didnt know how many there were at that time, Odell recalled. I could see car lights flashing as they were tumbling into the water. President Lyndon Johnson released a statement saying all Americans were shocked by the cruel tragedy and loss of life, and assembled the Task Force on Bridge Safety to mount an investigation. Ohio River Bridges on the KYTC Minute ( link) Kentucky and Indiana have agreed on a basic plan to finance and build the Ohio River Bridges Project, and work may be under way later this year. WASHINGTON, April 6 (UPI) A crack so tiny it could not be seen and so inaccessible that it might have defied Xday detection triggered the Dec. 15 1967, collapse of Silver Bridge over the. Bill Needham was less lucky. The Silver Bridge collapsed during a rush hour. It would take weeks for the victims to be recovered. Alleged Mothman activity aside, theres no doubt that the Silver Bridge collapse was one of the worst bridge disasters in U.S. history. We've seen inflation jack up the prices of everyday needs like food, and now it is affecting another necessary cost for many Louisville commuters: Ohio River bridge tolls.. RiverLink announced Monday that tolls are set to jump more than 8.3% effective July 1, the highest ever annual hike since tolling began in 2016 on the system's bridges connecting Louisville with Southern Indiana. Greiner Company and built by the precursor to the West Virginia-Ohio Bridge Company as well as the American Bridge Company. The Quebec Bridge collapsed during construction a year earlier on . The eastbound lanes of I-64 will close after 9 p.m. on Nov. 28 and reopen at 5 a.m. on Dec. 7. Flatiron Construction, awarded the project in 2016, is currently securing a torrent of permits for the project, which will include approvals from the West Virginia and Ohio Divisions of Natural Resources, the Coast Guard, the Army Corp of Engineers and the . On May 26, 1989, about 5:25 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, a 140-foot (43 m) section of the 556-foot (169 m) Harrison Road (US 52) temporary bridge over the Great Miami River in Miamitown, Ohio fell about 40 feet (12 m) into the rain-swollen river when a pile bent collapsed due to damage from floating debris. When Howard was pulled to safety by a rescue boat, he told the crew on board, I just hope to God Marjorie and the kid got out okay. Their bodies were found in the car six weeks later. The Newell Bridge is historically significant as one of the last few remaining suspension bridges on the Ohio River. While other successful bridges had used eyebar-chain suspension and incorporated many redundancies, at the time the nearest model to the Silver was a single (and now decommissioned) bridge in Florianopolis, Brazil. The Silver Bridge tragedy led to national changes in how bridges were inspected. Then the pin holding it in place fell loose, sending the bridges components into catastrophic failure. This failure caused the Ohio tower to fall and resulted in the collapse of the West Virginia tower. By the 1960s, most cars weighed about 3,000 pounds. It was the first bridge in the nation to use an innovative eyebar-link suspension system rather than a traditional wire-cable suspension. On December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge collapsed under the weight of rush-hour traffic, resulting in the deaths of 46 people. Name credited to aluminum colored paint used. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. The Silver Bridge tragedy led to national changes in how bridges were inspected. Then, take a look at 11 scary urban legends. Indeed today, in the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where Silver Bridge was anchored, there is an annual, tongue-in-cheek Mothman festival, and even a large statue of the monster. Long before the Silver Bridge collapse of 1967, locals had been complaining about the swaying structure for years. Faulty construction was to blame for the collapse of the bridge. Each state will do one section of the project. In 1975, author John Keel linked the Mothman claims to the Silver Bridge disaster in his book The Mothman Prophecies. On December 15, 1967, the bridge collapsed during rush-hour traffic. Shea Construction, Inc. has continued its portfolio of milestone projects through the latter half of the 20th century. Popular running event in Duesseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The Ohio River Bridges Project, one of the largest transportation improvements in the nation, was designated by Congress as one of 13 projects of national importance. The Brent Spence Bridge is a double-decker truss bridge that carries Interstates 71 and 75 across the Ohio River, connecting Cincinnati and Covington, Kentucky. Then there was silence.. Salesman Ben Cedar crossed Silver Bridge around 15 minutes before it collapsed, but only reluctantly. Erected in 1928, the Silver Bridge spanned the Ohio River between Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Kanauga, Ohio. While some survivors like Wood witnessed the incident up close, other survivors like Cedar had traveled over the bridge just moments before it collapsed and only heard about the disaster after the fact. The collapse killed 46 people who had been crossing when the bridge failed. Soon after the disaster, authorities rerouted the Silver Bridges pathway to a hastily prepared ferry system and other local bridges. Aectirding to the report, the crack apparently developed over the 40yearlife of the bridge, finally reaching a point where it became critical as result of both stress and fatigue. marada/FlickrThe legendary Mothman was spotted shortly before the Silver Bridge collapse, leading some to connect the two. Tragically, two of the bodies were never found. the Golden Gate Bridge, and the California Aqueduct to name a few. Thirty-one vehicles plunged into the icy waters of the Ohio River. Tennessee Department of Transportation . Browse 782 ohio river bridge stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. While most people didnt take the Mothman sightings seriously at first, the local tragedy caused some to reconsider. Flooding elsewhere in Ohio left two people dead and hundreds out of their homes. The ferry boat Ollie Neville was forced out of operation once the bridge was completed. In all, 31 vehicles went into the Ohio River that day, sending 64 people into its 44-degree waters. Police could not say how many people were in the cars, which plunged into the Great . and Kanauga, Ohio. If ever a design was to blame for a failure, writes engineering historian Henry Petroski, this was it.. About a week before Christmas 1967, rush hour traffic crawled across the Silver Bridge that connected Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. Some believe that the Mothman had tried to warn people of the bridge collapse, but others think that the beast caused it to happen. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. When: April 5, 1987. One survivor, Ben Cedar, recalled, I was worried about that bridge every time I crossed over. Just as she made it back to the precipice, the bridge gave out in front of her. Tiny Crack in Ohio River Bridge Blamed in Collapse Fatal to 46, https://www.nytimes.com/1971/04/07/archives/tiny-crack-in-ohio-river-bridge-blamed-in-collapse-fatal-to-46.html. Those like Howard Boggs defied the odds: Of the 64 who went in, 46 died. The legendary Mothman was spotted shortly before the Silver Bridge collapse, leading some to connect the two. Since the collapse had crushed so many of the cars below, workers were unable to lift the vehicles out of the water until the bridge pieces could be removed. Where: Fort Hunter, New York. The 3-span Knowlton Covered Bridge used to provide a passage over the Little Muskingum River. Though the flying humanoid creature with bright red eyes seemed like an outlandish urban legend, the Silver Bridge collapse made some residents think twice about it. It is also among the oldest bridges remaining on the Ohio River. At about 5 p.m. on December 15, 1967, a pregnant woman named Charlene Wood was driving home from work when she went over the Silver Bridge. Forty-six people were killed, including. On December 15, 1967, the bridge collapsed while handling heavy traffic and killed 46 people. The collapse remains the deadliest bridge disaster in United States history. To make matters worse, the bridge had been constructed with very little redundancy, meaning that if one part failed, there was practically nothing in place to keep the rest of the structure from failing too. This accident changed the nation's view of bridges across the country. The 5 km long circuit leads from Duesseldorf's old town along both sides of the Rhine. Other bridges, in the wake of the collapse, were examined and retrofitted with better parts, and Silver Bridges sister bridge in nearby St. Mary, West Virginia, was decommissioned shortly after, in 1971. The bridge spanning the Ohio River between Point Pleasant, W. Va., and Gallipolis, Ohio, known as the Silver Bridge, was designed and built during 192728. . The 59-year-old double-decker bridge is undergoing a long-term renovation that officials said would add up to 30 years to its life. The Chester Bridge, as it was named, was completed and opened to the public . Substantial completion occurred in November 2016. The bridge, built in 1928, spanned the Ohio River between Ohio and West Virginia, and served 4,000 vehicles every day. Cantilevered through truss bridge over Ohio River at Bellaire Closed to all traffic since 1992 Big Four Bridge (1895) (Jefferson County, Kentucky) Built 1888-1895 (Main span portals stated 1893); Replaced 1929 Lost Through truss bridge over Ohio River on New York Central Railroad Replaced by a new bridge making it the worst bridge accident in American history at the time. According to the . A crushed taxicab recovered after the Silver Bridge collapse. But decades later, its design failed to meet modern standards. Ohio River Bridges Project Website Project Details TIFIA Assistance $452.00M Primary Revenue Pledge User Charges Project Cost $1452.00M Fiscal Year Closed FY2014 Duration/Status Design-build team selection on November 15, 2012. The Silver Bridge collapse led to the National Bridge Inspection Standards which require bridges with spans over 20 feet to be inspected every two years . First opened in 1928, the Silver Bridge had been designed by J.E. Other eyebar models, like the Three Sisters in Pittsburgh, constructed at the same time, were shorter and used as many as eight eyebars in a section. Failed eye-bar joint and weld identified as cause. WHEELING W. Va. At least one man was killed and it is feared the bodies of others may be found in the ruins of a section of the steel bridge over the Ohio river which collapsed here today. The Story Of Adolf Hitler's Death And The Calamitous Days That Preceded It, Scientists In China Just Used Salmon Sperm To Make An Environmentally-Friendly 'DNA Plastic', What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. His story is a big reason why Point Pleasant is now a famous place for conspiracy theorists and ufologists. The collapse remains the deadliest bridge disaster in United States history. Yet for all the heavy documentation, one colorful theory suggests as the cause of the bridge collapse a bit of West Virginia folklore. Market data provided by Factset. The National Transportation Safety Board also investigated the Silver Bridge disaster. The incident. President Lyndon B. Johnson expressed shock at the cruel tragedy and loss of life. In 1968, Johnson ordered a federal-state program to commence reconstruction. 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