Friday Bridge Blogging

by PeWi Mon Oct 17th, 2005 at 04:11:01 AM EST

Todays Bridge Blogging will be bridges or their designs that have parallels or are named after animals.

so f.e this Butterfly bridge:
which is across the River Great Ouse in Bedford.

I will also accept bridges, that have an animal theme. like

this one...

Friday Bridge Blogging | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (4.00 / 4)

and then there are bridges like this one.

which also fits into last weeks Thursday Bridge Blogging category. as being a bridge that was destroyed and no longer exist.

It is the
Britannia Bridge Near Bangor, Gwynned, Wales, United Kingdom build in 1850, it was destroyed in 1970 to be replaced by

this one.

yes, this weeks theme is animal related bridges...

Thank you to these folks.

by PeWi on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 01:30:13 PM EST

Lions of the Chain Bridge (4.00 / 3)

This is one of the four lions guarding the Chain Bridge in my hometown Budapest. Popular legend (very popular - I was taught it at school...) has it that the sculptor forgot to make tongues for the lions, and when a cobbler called him out on his omission, in his shame he committed suicide by jumping from the bridge. However, this legend is 75% false. First, the sculptor died at old age. Second, the lions do have tongues:

Third, from old newspaper articles, the real story behind the legend was uncovered. (Hungarian link.) There was a cobbler (whom we know by name) who set off a rumour that the lions don't have a tongue. The rumour spread across the whole city, and the sculptor was upset. Even those who knew the tongue was there (on the above photo, you only see it because the teeth in front were broken off) said it looked unreal. So he made a bet with his friends that a real lion has its tongue the exact same way in the same posture - and after they went to the zoo and watched the animal, he won.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 02:47:59 PM EST

Re: Lions of the Chain Bridge (4.00 / 2)

On the bridge:

In the 19th century, until 1867 when the Habsburg Empire transfomed into Austria-Hungary, Hungary was kind of a colony for Austria - no state money spent on developments. Among the Hungarian nobility, a lot just wanted to continue exploiding peasants as before, but many - especially the Western-educated - wanted to start industrialisation. This was the so-called "Reform Age", when a series of projects were financed by enlightened aristocrats. The most important was one István Széchenyi, of whom the bridge is officially named.

This bridge was the first permanent bridge on the Danube below Vienna (discounting Hadrian's long-gone bridge). It was revolutionary for the time that a universal bridge ticket was chosen as the means to get back the investment (aristocrats were tax-free at this time). Széchenyi called two British engineers, William Tierney Clark who designed it and Scotsman Adam Clark (unrelated) who supervised construction (then stayed here, marrying a Hungarian woman whose language he didn't speak until his death, nor did she speak English or Scot!)

Just when the bridge neared finishing, the flame of revolution swept Europe: in 1848. It lasted the longest in Hungary, where the Habsburgs called on the Russians to help defeat the independent Hungarian government. During the conflict, first the half-finished deck of the bridge was used for treasury evacuations then burnt; and when all was over in 1849, Haynau, the victorious Habsburg general who was put in charge of retribution, wanted to blow it up - only Adam Clark's protests made him stop. It was finally opened on 20 November 1849, and would be one of the oldest surviving bridges had the Germans not blown it up in 1944.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 03:08:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Marlow Bridge (4.00 / 3)

It was finally opened on 20 November 1849, and would be one of the oldest surviving bridges had the Germans not blown it up in 1944.

Uh oh eh, forgot to add that it was rebuilt after WWII; and I should have taken a longer look at my own link. Clark1s earlier work, the model for Budapest's Chain Bridge, the Marlow Bridge, was built 1829-32 and still stands intact:

(But of course, structural elements may have been replaced over the years for this bridge too...)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 03:22:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (4.00 / 3)

I had so much fun with last week's Bridge Blogging, having lucked into being in an area of so many sunken bridges (who knew?) that I wanted to join in this one, too. Trouble is, I don't know of any animal bridges around here. At least in the western states, I'm unaware of anything like the lovely bridges I've seen in Britain, or the wonderful lions in DoDo's comments.

So I thought I'd google it and found something I've never heard of -- animal bridges for animal crossings. Evidently, we're planning one here over a major highway. The article about it is here, and this is what it might look like:

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 04:24:00 PM EST

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (none / 1)

Good thing that even in the Bush era, this finally catches on in the USA too! (Maybe someplace it already did - in what region do you live/drive?)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 05:29:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (none / 0)

Do you already have animal bridges?!? I live in the Puget Sound area near Seattle in Washington state -- a very "blue" area and very environmentally conscious. The only drawback with being solidly liberal here in the current climate, is the politicians seem to feel the need to prove how tough they are so they occasionally propose some really draconian criminal laws. Other than that, I love it here.

We have some wetlands right down the street and sometimes on the way to the store traffic will be stopped for a family of geese crossing. We also have a couple of ducks who hang out under the drive-thru window at the local Arbys -- I'm sure that can't be good for them. And we have our very own personal blue heron who routinely stops in our backyard to menace the goldfish.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 05:40:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (none / 0)

From the little I know, I'd like your region most in the USA!

Regarding animal bridges here: yes, they are common along newer highways and railways. Mostly in mountainous areas, but for example the Budapest-Vienna highway in the border region (which is flat or has low hills, wind power plant country) must have about a dozen, mostly for rabbits (but I have cycled over one). Here is a link to a page with two webcams looking at the construction of a railway gallery [= open-to-one-side tunnel] along a line doubling in Austria; on the second you'll notice the outer "bridgehead" of what will be a rather wide animal bridge over the old line.

On your continent, they must exist at least in Canada too: I think I saw a photograph of one in, what must have it been, a National Geographic article on Banff national park?

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 06:21:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (none / 0)

Thanks for the link. They probably do have them, but I'm not exactly well informed when it comes to these things. I was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, so my idea of nature was finding a lizard.

This is a lovely area and there's quite a lot of nature here. In fact, I'm so enthusiastic about it that when my friends visit I tend to bore them with listing all the fine qualities. The Chamber of Commerce should be paying me.

The proposed animal bridge in my comment is also in the mountains -- over Interstate 90 through the Cascade range.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 07:51:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (4.00 / 3)

This is an image of a rather special motorway crossing. Apparently it is the crossing with the biggest variety of different traffic forms. motorway bridge, city street bridge and intercity street bridge, tram bridge, train bridge, Schwebebahn bridge, pedestrians and cow bridge.

you can see the cow bridge on this image better, together with the Schwebebahn.

At least I think it was this bridge... I know that one of the bridges had to be build, for cow-traffic because the motorway cut in half the field of one farmer. and he agreed to the road being run across his land, if they build the bridge.

They had to lower the bed of the river underneath so they could build the motorway underneath the Schwebebahn. and had to raise the Schwebebahn by 2.20m plus they had to stretch the existing rail bridge from 20 to 130 meters. all just for the Autobahn...

by PeWi on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 08:14:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (4.00 / 4)

The Gateshead Millenium Bridge is designed to "wink" like an eyelid to let ships pass underneath the arches when it tilts.

by Londonbear on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 05:58:21 PM EST

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (none / 0)

The Gateshead Millenium Bridge was actually designed by the same people that did the butterfly bridge

This is their website you have to go to their project link and click on bridges to see them.

by PeWi on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 07:26:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (none / 1)

Of course, Newcastle is the city to visit if you like great bridges...

by JohnUK on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 08:30:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (none / 1)

yes, I will be further blogging about the bridges (t)here. My wife has already reprimanded me...

even though I have we had a Thursday Bridge Blogging on one of them...

sorry, but I love this picture, but it has been temporarily moved to a differnt place, due to an exhibition so I have to repost it here....

by PeWi on Fri Oct 14th, 2005 at 04:39:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (4.00 / 3)

...and of course my favourite, the Forth (rail) Bridge, looks like three dinosaurs in tow:

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 06:07:48 PM EST

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (none / 0)

Hey! I've been there! The Firth of Forth my grandpa called it -- it was his favorite bridge. I don't recall him ever mentioning the resemblance to dinosaurs, but I can see it. Lovely photo, thanks.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 06:16:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (none / 0)

I haven't been to the USA, so haven't seen the Golden Gate in real life; nor Sydney's Harbour Bridge; but still I suspect this one beats them all for me! I too was on the shores of the Firth of Forth between the two bridges (maybe you remember, a kilometre to the right is a modern suspension bridge) one summer (= very late) sunset in 1999, and with the warm lights then, the sight was otherworldy...

Now I really should find a scanner to post my photos I made then...

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 06:26:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thursdays Bridge Blogging (none / 0)

I've been over the Golden Gate a few times and I wouldn't want to compare them -- they're both beautiful in very different ways.

The first time I went over the Golden Gate, I stopped in the middle where they have a scenic pullout and they had a payphone there! I was so excited I called my mom -- guess where I'm calling from?!? I don't know if it's still there. Everyone has cell phones now.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 07:54:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Canadian animal bridge (4.00 / 3)

Colorado doesn't currently have any animal bridges, or any animal-themed bridges that I know of. However,
Vail Pass bisects a heavily forested area where wildlife travel between the Eagles Nest Wilderness and the Holy Cross Wilderness and beyond. The Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project is proposing that a wildlife overpass be built across Interstate 70 on the west side of Vail Pass, similar to this wildlife overpass crosses the Trans Canada Highway near Banff National Park.

Here's the one in Canada.

by asdf on Thu Oct 13th, 2005 at 11:32:15 PM EST

Re: Canadian animal bridge (none / 0)

Heh, that's the one I saw on a photo! (Maybe the same one, I remember it from such a vantage point.)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Oct 14th, 2005 at 09:46:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Canadian animal bridge (none / 0)

BTW, in Europe, there is a new trend to put trees on animal bridges, because wild animals still don't like noise and exposure - and won't go across the bridge.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Oct 14th, 2005 at 09:52:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Friday Bridge Blogging | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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