Wheeling Suspension Bridge

Infobox Bridge
bridge_name = Wheeling Suspension Bridge

---

caption = View from the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, 1977.
official_name =
carries =
crosses = East channel of the Ohio River
locale = Wheeling, West Virginia
maint =
id =
designer = "original:" Charles Ellet Jr.
"redesigner:" Wilhelm Hildenbrand
design = suspension bridge
"originally:" Gravity-anchored
"currently:" cable-stayed
material =
spans =
pierswater =
mainspan = convert|308|m
length =
width =
height =
load =
clearance =
below =
traffic =
begin = 1847Structurae|id=s0000478|title=Wheeling Suspension Bridge]
complete = 1849, 1854, 1859, 1872cite book
last = Jackson
first = Donald C.
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Great American Bridges and Dams
publisher = Wiley
date = 1988
location =
pages = p.159
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 0-471-14385-5]
open =
closed =
toll =
map_cue =
map_

map_text =
map_width =
coordinates =
lat =
long =

The Wheeling Suspension Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the East channel of the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia. It was the largest suspension bridge in the world from 1849 until the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge was opened in 1851. It was designed by Charles Ellet Jr., who also worked on the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge.

History

The initial competition to build the bridge involved a competition including Ellet and John A. Roebling.

In 1854, a strong windstorm collapsed the deck of the bridge, forcing Ellet to rebuild it. Since then, it was rebuilt in 1859 by Ellett's partner William McComas, in 1874 by William Hildenbrand, and most recently by the West Virginia Department of Highways in the early 1980s. The bridge remains in active service.

The bridge spans a distance of 1,010 feet (308 m) across the Ohio River so as to allow boats to pass underneath it. It remains the oldest vehicular suspension bridge in the USA that is still in use. The bridge is listed as a National Historic Landmark and a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

Weight limits

The bridge was designed prior to the advent of the automobile. At the time of construction, a horse and buggy was the heaviest live load that would be expected. Currently, the bridge has a (per vehicle) weight limit of Auto lb|4000 making it unsuitable for trucks, buses, or other heavy vehicles. [ [http://www.civil.ntua.gr/earthquake_gr/pdf/dimosiefseis/29.pdf Validated Analysis Of Wheeling Suspension Bridge ] ]

Traffic is advised to keep at least ft to m|50 between vehicles. Additionally, traffic lights at both ends only allow a certain number of cars onto the bridge at one time.

Infobox_nrhp | name =Wheeling Suspension Bridge
nrhp_type =nhl


caption =
location= Wheeling, West Virginia
lat_degrees = 40
lat_minutes = 4
lat_seconds = 12.58
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 80
long_minutes = 43
long_seconds = 38.46
long_direction = W
locmapin = West Virginia
area =
built =1849
architect= Charles Ellet Jr.; Washington Roebling
architecture= Other
designated= May 15, 1975cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=992&ResourceType=Structure
title=Wheeling Suspension |accessdate=2007-10-13|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = January 26, 1970cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
governing_body = State
refnum=70000662

References

ee also

*Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge
*List of crossings of the Ohio River
*List of historic sites in Ohio County, West Virginia
*List of Registered Historic Places in West Virginia

External links

* [http://wheeling.weirton.lib.wv.us/history/landmark/bridges/SUSP/index.htm Wheeling Suspension Bridge including pictures]
* [http://www.bridgestunnels.com/index.php?catid=50&photos=0 Wheeling Suspension Bridge at Bridges & Tunnels] .
* [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hh:@band(suspension+bridge+wheeling)/ Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record: Wheeling Suspension Bridge Page]

Gallery

Crossings navbox
structure = Bridges
place = Ohio River
bridge = Wheeling Suspension Bridge
bridge signs =
upstream = Fort Henry Bridge
upstream signs =
downstream = Interstate 470 Bridge
downstream signs = LongestBridge
type = suspension
start = 1849
end = 1851
previous = Zaehringen Bridge
current = Wheeling Suspension Bridge
next = Queenston-Lewiston BridgeLongestBridge
type = suspension
start = 1864
end = 1867
previous = Queenston-Lewiston Bridge
current = Wheeling Suspension Bridge
next = John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge