Interstate 470 Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Interstate 470 Bridge |
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The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge is a four-lane tied arch bridge in the United States. It carries Interstate 470 over the Ohio River between Bellaire, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia.
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| Coordinates | 40°02′59″N 80°43′51″W / 40.0498°N 80.7307°W |
| Carries | 4 lanes of  I-470 |
| Crosses | Ohio River |
| Locale | Bellaire, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia |
| Official name | Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge |
| ID number | 00000000035A123 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Tied-arch bridge |
| Total length | 409 m (1,342 ft) |
| Longest span | 239 m (784 ft) |
| Clearance above | 21 m (69 ft) |
| History | |
| Construction begin | 1975 |
| Construction end | 1983 |
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge is a big bridge in the United States. It has four lanes for cars. This bridge is a special type called a tied arch bridge. It goes over the Ohio River, connecting Bellaire, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia. It helps Interstate 470 traffic cross the river.
Building the Bridge
Building the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge started in 1975. It was supposed to be finished by 1981. But there were some problems. The vertical hanger cables had small tears. This delayed the bridge's opening.
Also, other roads like Ohio State Route 7 and Interstate 470 were not ready. This also caused delays for the bridge to fully open. The bridge finally opened in 1983.
How Much Did It Cost?
It cost about $54 million to build this bridge. That's a lot of money!
Impact on Traffic
When the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge opened, it changed traffic patterns. Another new bridge near Moundsville also opened. These new bridges helped reduce traffic on the older Bellaire Bridge. By 1987, traffic and the money collected from tolls on the Bellaire Bridge went down by half.
