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in China. Because of its height, the bridge has attracted daredevils since its construction. It is now the centerpiece of the annual "Bridge Day", during which hundreds of people, with appropriate equipment, are permitted to climb on or jump from the bridge. In 2005, the structure gained additional
409:
At the time, the bridge was the West
Virginia Department of Highways' largest project in its history, important both in terms of its overall cost, and that the federal government provided 70 percent of the funding. Construction gave a boost to the state and local economy; completion improved
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A steel catwalk two feet (60 cm) wide runs the full length of the bridge underneath the roadway. Originally built to facilitate inspections, the catwalk is open for guided, handicapped-accessible quarter-mile "Bridge Walk" tours; visitors use safety rigging.
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Construction began on the bridge in June 1974, and was completed on
October 22, 1977. The bridge was designed by the Michael Baker Company under the direction of Chief Engineer Clarence V. Knudsen and Corporate Bridge Engineer Frank J. Kempf, and executed by
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508:"A steel catwalk two feet (60 cm) wide runs the full length of the bridge underneath the roadway also open for guided quarter-mile "Bridge Walk" tours; visitors use safety rigging" (from the text).
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402:. The final cost of construction was $ 37 million (equivalent to $ 145 million in 2023 dollars). It was approximately $ 4 million, or $ 16 million in 2023 dollars, over bid. It is made from
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of the eastern United States. With an arch 1,700 feet (518 m) long, the New River Gorge Bridge was the world's longest single-span arch bridge for 26 years; it is now the fifth
479:, two of the bridge's four lanes were open to traffic during the festivals. Since 2001, security concerns have caused the entire span to be closed to vehicles during these events.
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steel. The use of COR-TEN in construction presented several challenges; notable among them was ensuring that the weld points weathered at the same rate as the rest of the steel.
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445:. At the northern end of the bridge, the Park Service operates a visitor center; it has scenic overlooks and a staircase that descends part of the way into the gorge.
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transportation. The bridge cut the vehicle travel time from one side of the gorge to the other from about 45 minutes to 45 seconds.
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The roadway of the New River Gorge Bridge is 876 feet (267 m) above the New River, making the bridge one of the
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The
Fayette Station Bridge over the New River, over 800 ft (244 m) below the canyon rim
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New River Gorge Bridge, Spanning New River near
Fayetteville, Fayetteville, Fayette County, WV
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1188:"Fallout 76 locations - all the map markers confirmed across post-apocalyptic West Virginia"
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National
Register of Historic Places listings in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
1259:", 12 photos, 1 color transparency, 3 data pages, 2 photo caption pages
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Probably because of its height (and lack of barriers), the bridge has regularly attracted
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List of bridges documented by the
Historic American Engineering Record in West Virginia
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The first person to jump off the New River Gorge Bridge was Burton Ervin, who lives in
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National
Register of Historic Places in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
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918:"National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: New River Gorge Bridge"
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1136:"At New River Gorge National River, an Iconic Bridge Attracts Suicide Jumpers"
705:
National
Register of Historic Places listings in Fayette County, West Virginia
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457:
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62:
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List of bridges on the
National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia
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The bridge is closed to vehicular traffic during the festival. Prior to the
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with the bridge depicted on one side. In 2013, the bridge was listed on the
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that stands for four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump:
429:
View of the New River Gorge Bridge from the
National Park Service Overlook
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Road bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia
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620:
The New River Gorge Bridge as seen from a small fixed-wing airplane. The
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1075:"Californian Dies in Bridge Day Jump When Chute Fails to Open in Time"
1514:
National Register of Historic Places in Fayette County, West Virginia
1027:
797:"Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 8/12/13 Through 8/16/13"
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770:"National Register Information System – (#13000603)"
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353:. An average of 16,200 motor vehicles cross the bridge each day.
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foreman. Burton jumped on August 1, 1979, using a conventional
823:"Mind the Gap: Building the World's Longest Steel-Arch Bridge"
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1388:
Nuttallburg Coal Mining Complex and Town Historic District
1383:
New Deal Resources in Babcock State Park Historic District
452:
Since its opening, the bridge has been the centerpiece of
200:$ 37 million (equivalent to $ 145 million in 2023 dollars)
1484:
Buildings and structures in Fayette County, West Virginia
863:
Green, Diana Kyle (October 2011). "Fayette County High".
472:, however, has been banned during Bridge Day since 1993.
568:, released in 2005, features the New River Gorge Bridge.
802:(Press release). National Park Service. August 23, 2013
161:
69.3 ft (21.1 m), 4 lanes with center divider
584:
Visitors Center, with fog in the New River Gorge below
369:
attention when the U.S. Mint issued the West Virginia
1499:
Historic American Engineering Record in West Virginia
1504:
Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System
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Tourist attractions in Fayette County, West Virginia
1162:"Man dies after jumping from New River Gorge Bridge"
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Walkway to observation area near the Visitors Center
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536:New River George Bridge is a location in the game
413:On August 14, 2013, the bridge was listed on the
1474:Transportation in Fayette County, West Virginia
1431:St. Colman's Roman Catholic Church and Cemetery
996:Green, Diana Kile (October 2011). "Bridge Walk
884:"New River Gorge Bridge: 10 Little Known Facts"
728:
726:
676:List of bridges in the United States by height
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345:, its construction marked the completion of
1362:New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
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710:New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
439:New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
20:
1426:Prince Brothers General Store-Berry Store
433:The New River Gorge Bridge is within the
341:; the longest outside of China. Part of
245:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
821:Carter Jr., George R. (April–May 2006).
1524:Truss arch bridges in the United States
722:
554:
525:Panorama of the New River Gorge Bridge
358:highest vehicular bridges in the world
351:Appalachian Development Highway System
325:3,030 feet (924 m) long over the
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441:, which protects this portion of the
7:
1358:National Register of Historic Places
1253:Historic American Engineering Record
1134:Janiskee, Bob (September 16, 2008).
882:Kistler, Maura (September 5, 2011).
775:National Register of Historic Places
734:"2006 Fayette County Traffic Counts"
415:National Register of Historic Places
375:National Register of Historic Places
1186:Forward, Jordan (October 8, 2018).
1519:Steel bridges in the United States
1106:Whitener, Lew (October 23, 2006).
1083:. October 22, 2006. Archived from
741:West Virginia Division of Highways
129:West Virginia Division of Highways
14:
1160:Tyson, Daniel (August 25, 2015).
712:, the park surrounding the bridge
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1053:, My West Virginia Home website
888:New River Gorge Adventure Guide
596:Close-up of the bridge supports
477:September 11 terrorist attacks
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187:Deck arch, unlimited clearance
1:
1281:
952:. The Gallery. Archived from
118:Fayette County, West Virginia
18:Bridge in West Virginia, U.S.
362:highest in the United States
177:1,700 ft (518.2 m)
1044:Complete Bridge Day History
916:Riebe, Erin M. (May 2013).
331:Fayetteville, West Virginia
1545:
1479:Landmarks in West Virginia
1393:Thurmond Historic District
1063:BASE Jumping Fatality List
153:3,030 ft (924 m)
1469:Bridges completed in 1977
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1049:January 10, 2013, at the
950:The Best of West Virginia
946:"Images of West Virginia"
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282:NRHP reference
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1255:(HAER) No. WV-41, "
1226:at Bridges & Tunnels
580:Bridge as seen from the
400:American Bridge Division
169:876 ft (267 m)
1140:National Parks Traveler
1002:Wonderful West Virginia
865:Wonderful West Virginia
686:List of highest bridges
1421:New River Gorge Bridge
1296:New River Gorge Bridge
1242:New River Gorge Bridge
1236:New River Gorge Bridge
1232:at Roads to the Future
1230:New River Gorge Bridge
1224:New River Gorge Bridge
743:. 2006. Archived from
622:Tunney Hunsaker Bridge
542:Featured in 2002 film
509:
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319:New River Gorge Bridge
237:New River Gorge Bridge
25:New River Gorge Bridge
1398:Trump-Lilly Farmstead
1238:at HighestBridges.com
1087:on September 27, 2007
925:National Park Service
780:National Park Service
700:National Scenic Byway
691:List of suicide sites
582:National Park Service
507:
435:National Park Service
428:
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335:Appalachian Mountains
1108:"Bridge Day tragedy"
894:on February 19, 2015
717:References and notes
484:Cowen, West Virginia
956:on October 30, 2009
750:on February 5, 2009
223:16,200 vehicles/day
63:38.0683°N 81.0833°W
59: /
1370:Historic districts
1219:Bridge Day History
658:Engineering portal
564:The West Virginia
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108:CSX Transportation
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1416:Bank of Glen Jean
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828:American Heritage
782:. March 13, 2009.
666:50 State Quarters
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366:Liuguanghe Bridge
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197:Construction cost
68:38.0683; -81.0833
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1269:World's longest
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1091:November 12,
1089:. Retrieved
1085:the original
1078:
1069:
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1010:
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981:November 11,
979:. Retrieved
970:
960:November 11,
958:. Retrieved
954:the original
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940:
930:February 27,
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896:. Retrieved
892:the original
887:
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833:the original
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754:November 24,
752:. Retrieved
745:the original
496:
486:, and was a
481:
474:
466:BASE jumping
451:
447:
432:
412:
408:
392:
355:
318:
316:
174:Longest span
150:Total length
106:CR 82,
15:
1314:Lupu Bridge
1286:Preceded by
1272:arch bridge
1190:. PC GamesN
1171:October 17,
1145:October 17,
1119:October 17,
898:October 17,
698:, a nearby
323:arch bridge
321:is a steel
66: /
41:Coordinates
1458:Categories
1247:Structurae
1213:Bridge Day
538:Fallout 76
462:rappelling
458:Bridge Day
396:U.S. Steel
347:Corridor L
213:Statistics
88:US 19
1442:See also:
1194:August 9,
1026:, spans (
1020:buildings
839:August 7,
806:August 7,
492:parachute
488:coal-mine
333:, in the
98:New River
1378:Kay Moor
1047:Archived
1024:antennas
630:See also
307:Location
289:13000603
54:81°5.0′W
51:38°4.1′N
1028:bridges
1016:acronym
551:Gallery
421:Tourism
404:COR-TEN
381:History
349:of the
339:longest
192:History
94:Crosses
79:Carries
1032:cliffs
1004:: 8–9.
871:: 4–7.
205:Opened
166:Height
140:Design
120:, U.S.
114:Locale
921:(PDF)
800:(PDF)
748:(PDF)
737:(PDF)
544:Steal
329:near
158:Width
1305:2003
1301:1977
1274:span
1196:2024
1173:2015
1147:2015
1121:2015
1093:2010
998:Wows
983:2009
962:2009
932:2015
900:2015
841:2020
808:2020
756:2008
317:The
144:Arch
1360:in
1244:at
1000:".
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284:No.
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