Poetic Crossing

摘要

Constructed to replace the 43-year-old Sidney Lanier Bridge, in Brunswick, Georgia, which had been deemed a navigational hazard by the U.S. Coast Guard, the new Sidney Lanier Bridge— which has the longest span of any bridge in the state—will permit the passage of any ship in existence today. The original bridge had a lift span of 250 ft (76.2 m)—inadequate for many of the large vessels now entering Brunswick's harbor. Several ships had collided with the bridge, requiring major repairs on an emergency basis. The Coast Guard and Georgia's Department ofTransportation determined that a new crossing was needed. Designed by T.Y. Lin International, of San Francisco, the new bridge, which accommodates two traffic lanes in each direction, is 7,780 ft (2,371 m) long. Its principal spans are cable stayed, the main span extending 1,250 ft (381 m) and the two side spans 625 ft (190.5 m). The navigation channel has a minimum horizontal clearance of 400 ft (122 m) and a vertical clearance of 185 ft (56 m) measured from the mean high water level of +4.30 ft (+1.3 m). Sand islands protect the main piers, and the minimum clearance between the sand islands is 1,040 ft (317 m). Thus the vertical and horizontal clearances will permit the passage of even the largest ship.