The I. B. Perrine Bridge is a four-lane truss arch span in the western United States. Located at Twin Falls, Idaho, it carries U.S. Highway 93 over the Snake River Canyon, connecting to

Jerome County Jerome County is a county in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 22,374. The county seat and largest city is Jerome. The county was created by the Idaho Legislature on February 8, 1919, by a partition o ...

and Interstate 84. The Perrine Bridge is approximately in total length, with a main span of and a deck height of above the

Snake River The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake ...

it is the eighth highest bridge in the United States. The elevation above sea level for the bridge deck is approximately . The bridge is named for

I. B. Perrine Ira Burton Perrine (May 7, 1861 – October 2, 1943) was an Idaho farmer, rancher and businessman. Perrine is generally credited as the founder of Twin Falls and other towns in the Magic Valley region. Born in Delaware, Indiana, Perrine's parent ...

(1861–1943), who spearheaded the early 20th century irrigation projects in the Magic Valley region and is largely credited as the main founder of Twin Falls; a statue of Perrine is at the visitors' center at the south end of the bridge.

History

Originally named the ''Twin Falls-Jerome Intercounty Bridge'', a

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

cantilever bridge was opened to traffic in September 1927, and formally dedicated by governor

H. C. Baldridge Henry Clarence Baldridge (November 24, 1868 – June 8, 1947) was an American politician. A Republican Party (United States), Republican, he was the 14th List of Governors of Idaho, governor of Idaho, serving from 1927 until 1931. Biography Bor ...

on October 1, 1927. The privately financed $750,000 structure (equivalent to $ million in dollars) was originally a toll bridge; the tolls were eliminated in April 1940 after the bridge was purchased by the state of Idaho for $482,000 (equivalent to $ million in dollars). By the early 1970s, the original bridge was outdated and unable to handle heavy loads and required replacement. Construction of the current bridge began in May 1973 and was completed in July 1976 at a cost of $10.56 million (equivalent to $ million in dollars). The new bridge was dedicated on July 31, 1976; the original cantilever bridge to the west was later disassembled.

Tourism

Located at the southwest end of the Perrine Bridge is the Twin Falls Visitor Center featuring souvenirs and gifts, Idaho products, visitor information, and interactive exhibits highlighting the recreational and historical activities and attractions in the region. The visitor center has views of the canyon, bridge, and access to the trail system along the canyon rim. Trails go under the bridge on either side which offers vantage points of the bridge and its structure. To the east, along the south rim of the canyon, lies the dirt ramp used by Evel Knievel when he unsuccessfully attempted his Snake River Canyon jump on the Skycycle X-2 in September 1974; the jump failed because of a parachute malfunction. The ramp where he made the leap sits on private property about east of the bridge and is visible from the bridge as well as various vantage points along the Canyon Trail. A memorial to Knievel is located near the bridge; it was dedicated in September 1985, at a small ceremony attended by Knievel.

BASE jumping

The Perrine Bridge is a popular BASE jumping site known all over the world; it may be the only man-made structure in the United States where BASE jumping is allowed year-round without a permit. Jumpers often use the nearby visitor center as a home base before and after parachuting from the bridge. The first documented and video-recorded/photographed jumps from the bridge were in 1987, by three residents of Twin Falls (former U.S. Army paratroopers) who

static line A static line is a fixed cord attached to a large, stable object. It is used to open parachutes automatically for paratroopers and novice parachutists. Design and use A static line is a cord attached at one end to the aircraft and at the oth ...

jumped the bridge using military surplus MC1-1B parachutes. It was done after a test drop of a 55-gallon (210 liter) drum in a T-10 parachute harness and canopy was used. Multiple successful jumps were conducted without incident or injury. In the early 1990s,

bungee jumping Bungee jumping (), also spelled bungy jumping, is an activity that involves a person jumping from a great height while connected to a large elastic cord. The launching pad is usually erected on a tall structure such as a building or crane, a ...

and parachuting off the bridge gained popularity, but was still against the law; by the end of the decade, BASE jumping was legal. In July 2006, Dan Schilling jumped off the bridge 201 times in 21 hours to raise money for charity; Schilling was hoisted to the top of the bridge by a crane after every jump. Three base jumpers have to date perished jumping from the Perrine Bridge; Brandon John Chance, James E Hickey, and Kristin Renee Czyz.

History

Tourism

BASE jumping

Gallery

See also

References

External links