Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge |
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The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge as seen from Mount Pleasant.
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| Coordinates | 32°48′10″N 79°54′54″W / 32.80278°N 79.91500°W |
| Carries | Bikes and Pedestrians 8 Lanes of  US 17 |
| Crosses | Cooper River |
| Locale | From: Charleston, SC To: Mt. Pleasant, SC |
| Official name | Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge |
| Maintained by | SCDOT |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cable-stayed bridge |
| Total length | 13,200 feet (4.0 km) |
| Width | eight 12-foot (3.7 m) lanes |
| Height | 575 feet (175 m) |
| Longest span | 1,546 feet (471 m) |
| Clearance below | 186 feet (57 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | July 16, 2005 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 78,100 |
The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is a very important bridge in South Carolina, United States. It connects the city of Charleston to Mount Pleasant. This bridge crosses over the Cooper River.
It is a special type of bridge called a cable-stayed bridge. This means its main deck is held up by strong cables. These cables connect directly to tall towers. The bridge is named after Arthur Ravenel Jr., who used to be a U.S. representative. A U.S. representative is a person elected to speak for their area in the national government.
About the Ravenel Bridge
The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge opened in 2005. It has eight lanes for cars and trucks. It also has paths for bikes and people walking. The bridge was built to replace two older bridges that were not big enough anymore.
How Big Is the Bridge?
This bridge is very long and tall. Its main part, called the main span, is 1,546 feet (471 meters) long. This makes it one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the Western Hemisphere. The Western Hemisphere includes North and South America.
The total length of the bridge is 13,200 feet (4.0 kilometers). That's about 2.5 miles! The bridge is 575 feet (175 meters) tall at its highest point. This height allows large ships to pass underneath easily.
Who Designed and Built It?
The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge was designed by a company called Parsons Brinckerhoff. It was built using a method called "design-build." This means the same team worked on both the design and the construction at the same time. This can help projects get finished faster.
Images for kids
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Arthur Ravenel Jr.
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Road deck of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
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One of the two towers
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View from atop the MUSC Parking Garage facing northeast
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Fireworks celebration to precede the opening of the new bridge, July 2005
