1. New River Gorge Bridge
Fayetteville, WV

2. Presenters Shaun Long – Michael Baker Jr. Inc. Bridge Engineer
Josh Derechin – Michael Baker Jr. Inc Senior Technical Manager
Jimmy Wriston – West Virginia DOT

3. Crossing the Gorge Fayette Station Road
Built in 1909, Only way to cross the gorge
Corridor L, US19, began in 1960
Tunney Hunsacker Bridge

4. Crossing the Gorge Turn a 45 minute trip into 45 seconds
Making the impossible a reality
“new transportation and new life blood” – John D. Rockefeller, IV

5. Bridge was immortalized by US Mint

6. New River Gorge Bridge
Design
Construction
Inspection
Tourism

7. New River Gorge Bridge
Design
Construction
Inspection
Tourism

8. Design Bridge Types Considered Arch Bridge (Top)
Suspension Bridge (Bottom)
Deck Truss

9. Design
Manhours for design were equivalent of one man working 40 hours per week for 15 years
Design calculation sheets totaled 4,759
Baker engineers checked approximately 1,490 shop drawings
Baker engineers analyzed 75+ erection procedures and 1,200 sheets of accompanying calculations

10. Design Features COR-TEN Steel High-Strength Aesthetic Beauty
Lowe Maintenance

11. Bridge Statistics – Record Setting
Upon opening, it was the second highest highway bridge in the world.
Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado built in 1929
Record currently held by Siduhe River Bridge, China ft

12. Bridge Statistics – Record Setting
Upon opening, it was the longest Arch Bridge in the world.
2003 – Lupu Bridge in China broke record

13. Bridge Statistics – Arch Length
Chaotianmen Bridge
1,811 Ft.
2009
China
Lupu Bridge
1,804 Ft.
2003
Bosideng Bridge
1,739 Ft.
2012
New River Gorge Bridge
1,700 Ft.
1977
U.S.
Bayonne Bridge
1,673 Ft.
1931

14. Bridge Statistics – Arch Height
Zhijinghe River Bridge
1,410 Ft.
2009
China
Beipanjiang River Railway Bridge
774 Ft.
2001
Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge
886 Ft.
2010
U.S.
New River Gorge Bridge
876 Ft.
1977

15. Bridge Statistics – Arch Height

16. Bridge Statistics
34 Million Pounds of Structural Steel Equivalent to 120 Boeing 747’s ,555 Full Size Pick Up’s

17. New River Gorge Bridge
Design
Construction
Inspection
Tourism

18. Construction
WVDOH awarded a contract to U.S. Steel for the construction of the bridge
June 21, 1973 Bid Results
$33,984,012 - U.S. Steel
$41,116,118 - Allied Structural Steel, Inland Ryerson Construction Products
$46,383,282 – Bethlehem Steel Corp.
$52,496,017 – Bristol Steel, Iron Works Inc.
Most expensive project awarded
by WVDOH at the time
2013 cost of bridge $173 million

19. Construction
Uniquely Designed Cableway

20. Construction
Uniquely Designed Cableway

21. Construction
Uniquely Designed Cableway

22. Construction

23. Construction

24. Opening Opened October 22, 1977
Representing Man’s ability to challenge and overcome nature’s barriers

25. New River Gorge Bridge
Design
Construction
Inspection
Tourism

26. New River Gorge Bridge
Design
Construction
Inspection
Tourism

27. Tourism
Foresight to add Visitors center during construction

28. Tourism
Bridge Day – Third Saturday in October

29. Tourism