BONNET CARRE SPILLWAY BRIDGE

摘要

After almost 80 years in service, it is time to recognize the three longest timber railroad bridges in America, the Illinois Central Bonnet Carre Spillway Bridge, now part of Canadian National, and its nearby (smaller) cousin the Valley Spillway Bridge and Kansas City Southern Spillway bridge opened in 1936 at 9,501 feet. The longest, CN's Bonnet Carre Bridge completed in May 1935 near New Orleans, La., is 11,735 feet in length and the Valley Bridge completed in January of 1935 checks in at slightly under 8,000 feet in length. To date, they have endured six major hurricanes including Camille, Katrina and, most recently, Isaac. The Bonnet Carre Spillway has also been witness to major floods and the resulting opening of the spillway gates on 10 occasions. Of course, the big question is, why build such a long structure(s) in the first place? The answer lies in the history of the city of New Orleans and the great flood of 1927.