Chicago River Bridges presents the untold history and development of Chicago's iconic bridges, from the first wood footbridge built by a tavern owner in 1832 to the fantastic marvels of steel, concrete, and machinery of today. It is the story of Chicago as seen through its bridges, for it has been the bridges that proved critical in connecting and reconnecting the people, industry, and neighborhoods of a city that is constantly remaking itself. In this book, author Patrick T. McBriarty shows how generations of Chicagoans built (and rebuilt) the thriving city trisected by the Chicago River and linked by its many crossings. This comprehensive guidebook chronicles more than 175 bridges spanning 55 locations along the Main Channel, South Branch, and North Branch of the Chicago River. With new full-color photography of existing bridges and more than one hundred black and white images of bridges past, the book unearths the rich history of Chicago's downtown bridges from the Michigan Avenue Bridge to the often forgotten bridges that once connected thoroughfares such as Rush, Erie, Taylor, and Polk Streets. Throughout, McBriarty delivers new research into the bridges' architectural designs, engineering innovations, and their impact on Chicagoans' daily lives, explaining how the dominance of the "Chicago-style" bascule drawbridge influenced the style and mechanics of bridges worldwide. Interspersed throughout are the human dramas that played out on and around the bridges, such as the floods of 1849 and 1992, the cattle crossing collapse of the Rush Street Bridge, or Vincent "The Schemer" Drucci's Michigan Avenue Bridge jump. A confluence of Chicago history, urban design, and engineering lore, Chicago River Bridges illustrates Chicago's significant contribution to drawbridge innovation and the city's emergence as the drawbridge capital of the world.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)9780252037863 20160612

• Ambush
• Hands across the bay
• Warning signs
• The combat zone
• Captain Lerro
• Shoot for the hole
• Tough old bird
• The abyss
• The only fool who went in the water
• Red Alpha Zulu
• The court of public opinion
• Guilty, guilty, guilty
• A pound of flesh
• Do you know who I am?
• Back to the sky
• That stinking bridge
• The last victim.

"Bill DeYoung's story of the construction of the original and second span of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, of the accident in 1980 that destroyed it, and of John Lerro, the harbor pilot steering the "Summit Venture" that struck the bridge, is spellbinding and reads like a mystery."--Robert Kerstein, author of "Key West on the Edge " "Bill DeYoung's meticulous reconstruction of how Florida's mightiest bridge was built and then destroyed is a compelling read, full of telling details and tragic irony."--Craig Pittman, author of "The Scent of Scandal "On the morning of May 9, 1980, harbor pilot John Lerro was guiding a 600-foot freighter, the "Summit Venture, " into Tampa Bay. Directly in the ship's path was the Sunshine Skyway Bridge--two ribbons of concrete, steel, and asphalt that crossed fifteen miles of open bay. Suddenly, a violent weather cell reduced visibility to zero at the precise moment when Lerro attempted to direct the 20,000-ton vessel underneath the bridge. Unable to stop or see where he was going, Lerro drove the ship into a support pier; the main span splintered and collapsed 150 feet into the bay. Seven cars and a Greyhound bus fell over the broken edge and into the churning water below. Thirty-five people died. "Skyway" tells the entire story of this horrific event, from the circumstances that led up to it through the years-long legal proceedings that followed. Through personal interviews and extensive research, Bill DeYoung pieces together the harrowing moments of the collision, including the first-person accounts of witnesses and survivors. Among those whose lives were changed forever was Wesley MacIntire, the motorist whose truck ricocheted off the hull of the "Summit Venture" and sank. Although he was the lone survivor, MacIntire, like Lerro, was emotionally scarred and remained haunted by the tragedy for the rest of his life. Similarly, DeYoung details the downward spiral of Lerro's life, his vilification in the days and weeks that followed the accident, and his obsession with the tragedy well into his painful last years. DeYoung also offers a history of the ill-fated bridge, from its construction in 1954, through the addition of a second parallel span in 1971, to its eventual replacement. He discusses the sinking of a Coast Guard cutter a mere three months before Skyway collapsed and the Department of Transportation's dire warnings about the bridge's condition. The result is a vividly detailed portrait of the rise and fall of a Florida landmark.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)9780813044910 20160616

Intimate and engaging, Michael Rockland's rich narrative presents perspectives on the GWB, as it is often called, that span history, architecture, engineering, transportation, design, the arts, politics, and even post-9/11 mentality. Stunning archival photos, from the late 1920s when the bridge was built through the present, are a powerful complement to the bridge's history.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)9780813543758 20160528

When Washington made his famous crossing of the Delaware River, it is a shame be couldn't have invited local historian Frank T. Dale along for the ride. Dale could have suggested the easiest crossing points. Fortunately for contemporary readers, Dale has written a fascinating book chronicling thirty-five of the most historic bridges crossing the Delaware, some of which have served the residents of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York for almost two centuries. Many of us take these bridges for granted as we speed across, impatient to reach our destination, but their histories are too interesting to ignore. Dale brings us the stories behind each bridge, covering design, engineering, ownership, finances, and politics. He chronicles the life of each, from the original construction, through modifications, and, sometimes, through the bridges' multiple destructions and reconstructions. Along the way, Dale recounts the history of the area surrounding each bridge, including the demise of ferry services, reasons why each bridge was built, politics surrounding construction, debates over public versus privately owned bridges, and stories of the floods and fires that threatened not only the bridges, but the local residents. Dozens of rate photos give readers a captivating window back into the past.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)9780813532127 20160528

The Cooper River Bridge opened in 1929, and for the first time connected Charleston directly to the north. This volume is a complete history of the bridge, exploring how early 20th-century Charleston helped shape the bridge, and how the bridge subsequently shaped the city.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)9781570034701 20160528

Historically, covered bridges were designed to protect their wooden surfaces from the weather. Today, covered bridges are viewed as charming but rare artifacts of our past. Pennsylvania, the site of the first covered bridge in the United States (over the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia), remains the state with the most surviving structures. Ben and June Evans revisited every one, criss-crossing the state during the spring and summer of 2000, taking new photographs and noting changes since 1991. The builder's name, truss type and number of spans, the condition, length, and width, current owner, and waterway it crosses, specific location, and precise travel directions to each structure are all outlined for each of the 220 bridges documented in this new edition.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)9780822957645 20160528

• * Introduction and objectives * Inspection and in-situ testing * Reasons for strengthening * Methods of a avoiding or limiting strengthening * Factors to be considered when designing strengthening * Methods of strengthening Parapet upgrading * Bridge bashing * Fatigue * Identifying research * Case histories * Contractual experience * Lessons learned for the future * Conclusions * References * Index.
• (source: Nielsen Book Data)9780727728814 20160528

The stresses imposed on UK roads by forty tonne vehicles have led to an extensive programme of bridge improvements across the country. This book draws on case studies to create an essential tool for all bridge engineers involved in strengthening steel bridges to meet these challenges. Resulting from the Highways Agency's assessment and strengthening of steel and steel/concrete composite bridges, this report disseminates the knowledge gained and ingenuity used during this work and will be an invaluable reference for future work. It covers measures beyond the initial assessment to avoid or limit strengthening. Steel Bridge Strengthening identifies strengthening solutions which may have application elsewhere, whether modified or not, and illustrates these by means of case studies. The report also includes the upgrading of bridge parapets and remedial works following bridge bashing and discusses areas such as fatigue, the identification of research requirements, steelwork inspection prior to works, contractual experience and lessons learned for the future. The main body of the book consists of case studies which provide the reader with a wealth of experience which can be applied to their own situation. The 39 case studies include work carried out on the Midland Links, Huntworth Viaduct, Conwy Bridge and Avonmouth Bridge and also incorporates work on many smaller bridges. Local authorities, consultants and contractors will all find the extensive experience gathered from work in this area an invaluable source of information.
(source: Nielsen Book Data)9780727728814 20160528