General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 10°34′27.38″N 71°34′33.73″W / 10.5742722°N 71.5760361°W |
| Carries | vehicles |
| Crosses | Tablazo Strait |
| Locale | Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cable-stayed bridge |
| Material | Reinforced concrete |
| Total length | 8.7 kilometres (5.4 mi) |
| Height | 86.6 metres (284 ft) |
| Longest span | 235 metres (771 ft) x 5 |
| Number of spans | 135 |
| History | |
| Designer | Riccardo Morandi |
| Construction begin | 1958 |
| Construction end | 1962 |
| Construction cost | Bs. 350 million |
The General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge is a really important bridge in western Venezuela. It crosses the Tablazo Strait, which is part of Lake Maracaibo. This bridge helps connect the city of Maracaibo with the rest of the country. It's named after General Rafael Urdaneta, a Venezuelan hero who fought for independence. He was born in Maracaibo.
How the Bridge Was Designed and Built
This bridge is made from a special type of concrete called reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete. These materials make the bridge very strong. It's a cable-stayed bridge, which means its main parts are held up by strong cables.
The bridge stretches for about 8.678 kilometres (5.392 mi) from one shore to the other. It has five main sections, and each of these sections is 235 metres (771 ft) long. These long sections are supported by tall towers that are about 92-metre (302 ft) high. The bridge is high enough to allow ships to pass underneath, with 46 metres (151 ft) of space above the water. Only vehicles like cars and trucks can use this bridge.
The design competition for the bridge started in 1957. An Italian engineer named Riccardo Morandi won the competition. His design was the only one that used concrete. People thought a concrete bridge would be cheaper to keep in good condition. It also helped Venezuela learn more about building with prestressed concrete. Many companies worked together to build the bridge.
History of the Bridge
The General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge officially opened on August 24, 1962. The president of Venezuela at that time, Romulo Betancourt, was there for the opening.
In April 1964, a part of the bridge collapsed. This happened after a large oil tanker, the Esso Maracaibo, crashed into it. Sadly, seven people lost their lives in this accident.
Since 1982, there have been talks about building a second bridge like this one. Studies for a new bridge have been done since the year 2000. It's estimated that a new bridge would cost around US$440 million. Most of this money would come from private companies, likely through tolls.
People became more concerned about the bridge's strength after a similar bridge in Italy, called the Ponte Morandi, collapsed in August 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Puente General Rafael Urdaneta para niños
Images for kids
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General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge panoramic
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Commemorative Stamp
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