Carries Four lanes of US 2 Design Tied-arch bridge Construction started 1982 Clearance below 37 m Body of water Saint Louis River | Crosses Saint Louis Bay Opened October 25, 1985 Height 37 m Total length 3,600 m | |
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Locale Duluth, MN and Superior, WI Bridge type Arch bridge, Tied-arch bridge Similar John A Blatnik Bridge, Oliver Bridge, Arrowhead Bridge, Aerial Lift Bridge, Tied‑arch bridge | ||
Trucker rudi 08 01 15 crossing the richard i bong memorial bridge
The Richard I. Bong Memorial Bridge, also known as the Bong Bridge, connects Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, via U.S. Route 2 (US 2). Opened on October 25, 1985, it is roughly 11,800 feet (3,600 m) long, including about 8,300 feet (2,500 m) over water. It crosses the Saint Louis Bay that drains into Lake Superior.
Contents
- Trucker rudi 08 01 15 crossing the richard i bong memorial bridge
- Map of Richard I Bong Memorial Bridge United States
- References
Map of Richard I. Bong Memorial Bridge, United States
The bridge’s namesake, Richard Ira Bong, was a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II who was named the United States' all-time "Ace of Aces". The bridge was originally to be named Arrowhead Bridge, after the old wood trestle–bascule bridge it replaced.
The bridge is one of the largest public works projects undertaken by the state of Wisconsin. Ayres Associates, an architectural/engineering company based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, managed the project and designed the 1.5 miles (2.4 km) length of approach bridges. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation designed the channel span (tied arch). Its central suspension section is made of Japanese steel.
In 2007, the Bong Bridge won a Wonders of Wisconsin Engineering Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies, Wisconsin Chapter, which was celebrating its 50th anniversary.
The bridge was the scene of a 16-vehicle pile-up on January 27, 2005, in which a newborn baby was killed and 10 people were hospitalized.