The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Size report
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge are two suspension bridge currently located in Tacoma, Washington, USA. The original Tacoma Narrows Bridge, nicknamed Galloping Gertie, opened to traffic on July 1, 1940, and was dramatically destroyed by a breeze four months later, making the bridge famous. The rebuilt bridge opened to traffic in 1950, and a new parallel bridge was opened in 2007.
The collapse of the first Tacoma Strait Bridge became a classic example of aerodynamics in the history of bridge construction. The collapse of the bridge occurred on November 7, 1940. U.S. time due to the Karman Vortex Street. Fortunately, no one lost their life in the bridge collapse accident.
Many people came to visit the bridge because of this famous bridge collapse. Today, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge consists of two parts, an eastbound bridge, and a westbound bridge. The bridge is also part of Washington State Route 16. Let's learn more about the size of this bridge in the following post.
Description of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Size
The first Tacoma Strait Bridge was the third longest suspension bridge in the world at that time, after the George Washington Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge. This bridge is 1810.2 meters long, with a main span of 853.4 meters, but the width of this narrow bridge is only 11.9 meters, which is very rare among suspension bridges of the same period. The bridge is too narrow, and the 2.4-meter-high steel girder cannot provide sufficient rigidity to the bridge body. The bridge's collapse was a landmark failure in the history of bridge construction.
In 1950, The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was designed and rebuilt on its original site with open trusses, reinforced pillars, and ventilation holes to allow the wind to pass through. It and the parallel eastbound bridge make up the fifth longest suspension bridge in the United States. When the parallel eastbound bridge was completed in 2007, the original bridge would only allow westbound traffic.
Current Tacoma Narrows Bridge Dimensions
The current Tacoma Narrows Bridge includes two suspension bridges, which became the fifth-longest suspension bridge in the United States. The westbound bridge is 1,822 meters (5,979 feet) long, the main span length is 853.4 meters (2,800 feet); the eastbound bridge has an overall length of 1,646 meters, and the main span is the same as the westbound.
| Facts | Original | Current Westbound | Current Eastbound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Length | 1810.2 m (5,939 ft) | 1,822 m (5,979 ft) | 1,646 m (5,400 ft) |
| Width | 11.9 m (39 ft) | 14 m (46.3 ft) | 14 m (46.3 ft) |
| Longest Span | 853.4 m (2,800 ft) | 853.4 m (2,800 ft) | 853.4 m (2,800 ft) |
| Clearance Below | 59.4 m (195 ft) | 59.4 m (195 ft) | 57.15 m (187.5 ft) |
Conclusions
Local photo studio owner Barney Elliott filmed the historical collapse of the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge. In 1998, the video of the destruction of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry, and this shocking video still serves as a cautionary tale for students studying engineering, architecture, and physics. All subsequent bridges, both in the whole body and in part, had to pass rigorous mathematical analysis and wind tunnel testing before being used.
