Silver Bridge
The Silver Bridge was an eyebar-chain suspension bridge built in 1928 which carried U.S. Route 35 over the Ohio River, connecting Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. Officially named the Point Pleasant Bridge, it was popularly known as the Silver Bridge for the color of its aluminum paint.
Silver Bridge | |
|---|---|
The Silver Bridge upon completion in 1928 | |
| Coordinates | 38°50′42″N 82°08′28″W |
| Crosses | Ohio River |
| Locale | Point Pleasant, Mason County, West Virginia, United States Kanauga, Gallia County, Ohio, United States |
| Official name | Point Pleasant Bridge |
| Followed by | Silver Memorial Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | suspension bridge |
| Material | Steel |
| Total length | 2,235 feet (681 m) |
| Longest span | 700 feet (210 m) |
| Piers in water | 2 |
| Design life | 39 years (until collapse) |
| History | |
| Designer | J. E. Greiner Company |
| Constructed by | American Bridge Company |
| Opened | May 30, 1928 |
| Collapsed | December 15, 1967 |
| Location | |
| References | |
On December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge collapsed amid heavy rush-hour traffic, resulting in the deaths of 46 people, two of whom were never found. Investigation of the wreckage soon pointed to the failure of a single eyebar in one of the suspension chains as the primary cause — a finding noted in a preliminary report released within 10 months of the collapse. However, to explain why that eyebar failed — a failure triggered by a flaw just 0.1 inches (2.5 mm) deep, which led to a fracture — required significantly more time and effort to uncover, with the final accident report taking three years to complete. The collapse led to significant changes in the way bridges in the U.S. are inspected and maintained.
The collapsed bridge was replaced by the Silver Memorial Bridge, which was completed in 1969.