In article k.net, "Dwight
Stewart" writes:

"Len Over 21" wrote:

The FIRST Tacoma Narrows bridge was designed
WITHOUT sufficient thought about sparse, elegant-
looking minimal structures acting as airfoils during high
winds. At the time of construction, the first Tacoma
Narrows bridge was the third-longest single span in the
world. It was open for nearly a year and developed
such severe oscillation (as a result of the airfoil effects)
that it was dubbed "Galloping Gertie." :-)

The high winds in the Narrows region proved too
much for it in the 1940s just before WW2 and it went
into catastrophic structural oscillation. It was rebuilt a
decade later and has remained standing for half a
century. Tacoma Narrows bridge is a major passageway
for vehicular traffic from the Kitsap County to the
Tacoma city region but, at two lanes each way, has
become too crowded for modern traffic. A third Narrows
bridge, adjacent to the second, is planned to begin
construction in the near future. The second Tacoma
Narrows bridge still retains a little windsock at each end
and warning signs about High Winds affecting both
bicyclists and pedestrians. Every once in a while a high-
box trailer will begin fish-tailing while crossing and may
temporarily disrupt traffic, all due to high winds.

Good grief, Len. You sound like a tour guide.

Blame Gig Harbor then. :-) They have a tiny micro-museum there, only
three rooms, one of which featuring the Narrows bridges. Free entrance.

Actually, we lived in Tacoma
for about four years (mid-70's) before heading overseas to Germany and lived
in Bremerton for about a year and a half just a few years ago. I've drove
across that bridge many, many, times. When we lived in Tacoma, we used to
walk our dog on the beach under the bridge occasionally (on the side
opposite Tacoma - a fairly popular spot for nude and topless sunbathers at
that time). We used to park at the observation point on that side of the
bridge (there was a plaque there with much of the information you gave
above).

Never inspected the plaque (my dentist scraped it off...). Things have
changed more since construction on the highways leading up to the
Tacoma side has been completed.

The bridge was much more interesting in the mid-70's. At that time, the
side walls were cross-crossed metal strips allowing for a fairly
unobstructed view of the surrounding area and water below. In addition, the
roadway surface was open grating, allowing one to look straight down to the
water directly below the bridge. Today, the side walls are solid steel
plates and the roadway grating has been replaced with asphalt.

Really? Then its been remodeled since the 70s. Wife and I have
driven over it many a time also, but we can see the Narrows on both
sides from a compact wagon. Bridge roadway is both grating and
concrete now with what appears as non-slip asphalt surfacing?

What I think more interesting is the western side of the Narrows
bridge with three HV lines spanning the Narrows in a single run, each
about a mile in length. No catenaries, just the lines. They've been
there for years surviving many a windstorm. Easy to see them from
the bridge.

We'll have to cease talking territorially here, Dwight. This newsgroup is
only for railroading, gunnery, east-coasties-pumping-their-hoagietowns,
and general demeaning denigrations of no-coders by mighty macho
morsemen pounding their, er, keys. :-)

LHA