The Mears Memorial Bridge is a

truss bridge A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements (typically straight) may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...

on the

Alaska Railroad Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S. ...

, completed in 1923. The bridge spans the Tanana River at Nenana and at , it is among the largest simple truss-type bridges in the world.

History

The bridge's namesake, Colonel Frederick Mears, was chairman and chief engineer of the

Alaska Engineering Commission The Alaskan Engineering Commission (AEC) was a U.S. Federal agency, sometimes known by its initials or by alternate spelling Alaska Engineering Commission. It was created by the Alaska Railroad Act in 1914 by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in order ...

, the railroad's builder and original operator. The bridge was the final link in the railroad, entering service in February 1923, a year after the rest of the line was finished. The AEC hired the Chicago firm of

Ralph Modjeski Ralph Modjeski (born Rudolf Modrzejewski; January 27, 1861 – June 26, 1940) was a Polish-American civil engineer who achieved prominence as "America's greatest bridge builder." Life He was born in Bochnia, called Galicia at the time, on Janu ...

and Angier to design the bridge, and the

American Bridge Company The American Bridge Company is a heavy/civil construction firm that specializes in building and renovating bridges and other large, complex structures. Founded in 1900, the company is headquartered in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pitt ...

to fabricate and erect it. When completed, this Pennsylvania through-truss bridge was the longest truss span in the United States and its territories. This bridge still ranks as the longest span of any kind in Alaska. it was then the third-longest simple truss bridge in North America. President Warren G. Harding, becoming the first president to visit Alaska, traveled to the state to drive the ceremonial last spike at the north end of the bridge on July 15, 1923. It was one of Harding's last public appearances, as he died 18 days later during his ongoing western tour.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Construction photos by designer Walter Angier

Recent photos at Bridgehunter.com
1923 establishments in Alaska Alaska Railroad Bridges completed in 1923 Bridges in Unorganized Borough, Alaska Buildings and structures in Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska Railroad bridges in Alaska Steel bridges in the United States Truss bridges in the United States Pennsylvania truss bridges in the United States Tanana Athabaskans

History

See also

References

External links