GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE
The George Washington Bridge, a suspension bridge spanning the
Hudson
River
from New York City to New Jersey, was finished in 1931. At that time it had the world’s longest span
of 3500 feet between its two tower supports.
The structural engineer, Othmar H. Ammann, designed the road deck to be
very thin for visual elegance, but studies have since found that a stiffer,
thicker deck is necessary for safety against wind forces. The stiffening was added in 1962 in the form
of the lower deck. The original design
also included masonry cladding for the two supporting towers, but cost
prohibited this finishing touch.
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