Walkway Over The Hudson

摘要

The Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge, opened in 1888, holds tremendous historic significance. It was the longest bridge in the world when the first train crossed it. As the first bridge constructed across the Hudson River between New York City and Albany, the bridge had an enormous impact on transportation throughout the Northeast United States. After a long history of ownership and uses, the bridge suffered damage from a fire in 1974 that rendered it unusable for railroad traffic. A comprehensive study has begun to certify structural integrity and to produce a plan to establish it as a public park and walkway, as well as a bridge engineering educational resource. The paper will provide a brief historic overview, discuss the objectives of the comprehensive study and the findings of the late 2006 underwater inspections.