New River Gorge Bridge Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids New River Gorge Bridge

Coordinates	38°4.1′N 81°5.0′W / 38.0683°N 81.0833°W / 38.0683; -81.0833
Carries	US 19
Crosses	New River, CR 82, CSX Transportation
Locale	Fayette County, West Virginia, U.S.
Maintained by	West Virginia Division of Highways
Characteristics
Design	Arch
Total length	3,030 ft (924 m)
Width	69.3 ft (21.1 m), 4 lanes with center divider
Height	876 ft (267 m)
Longest span	1,700 ft (518.2 m)
Clearance above	Deck arch, unlimited clearance
History
Construction cost	$37 million (equivalent to $131 million in 2021 dollars)
Opened	October 22, 1977
Statistics
Daily traffic	16,200 vehicles/day


New River Gorge Bridge
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

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NRHP reference No.	13000603
Added to NRHP	August 14, 2013

The New River Gorge Bridge is a huge steel arch bridge in West Virginia, USA. It stretches 3,030 feet (924 m) across the New River Gorge. This bridge is part of U.S. Route 19 and helps thousands of cars cross the gorge every day.

For 26 years, the New River Gorge Bridge had the longest single arch span in the world. Its arch is 1,700 feet (518 m) long! Today, it is still one of the longest arch bridges, and the longest one outside of China.

The bridge's roadway is 876 feet (267 m) above the New River. This makes it one of the highest bridges for vehicles on Earth. It is the third highest in the United States.

In 2005, the bridge was featured on the West Virginia state quarter. This showed how important it is to the state. In 2013, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

About the New River Gorge Bridge
- Building a Giant Bridge
  - How the Bridge Changed Travel
- Fun at the Bridge
  - Walking Under the Bridge
  - Bridge Day Festival
Gallery
See also

About the New River Gorge Bridge

The New River Gorge Bridge is a marvel of engineering. It connects two sides of a deep canyon, making travel much faster. Before the bridge, people had to drive for about 45 minutes to get across. Now, it takes only about 45 seconds!

This bridge is not just for cars. It's also a popular spot for special events and visitors. People come from all over to see its amazing size and the beautiful gorge below.

Building a Giant Bridge

Construction of the New River Gorge Bridge started in June 1974. It took three years to build and was finished on October 22, 1977. The Michael Baker Company designed the bridge. U.S. Steel's American Bridge Division built it.

The Fayette Station Bridge, which was used before the New River Gorge Bridge.

The bridge cost $37 million to build. This was a lot of money at the time. The federal government helped pay for most of it. The bridge is made from a special kind of steel called COR-TEN. This steel changes color as it ages, giving the bridge a unique look.

How the Bridge Changed Travel

Building this bridge was the biggest project ever for the West Virginia Department of Highways. It helped the state's economy by creating jobs. Once finished, it made transportation much easier.

The bridge's impact was huge. It cut down travel time across the gorge from about 45 minutes to less than a minute. This made life much better for people living and working in the area. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its big impact on local travel and its amazing design.

Fun at the Bridge

The New River Gorge Bridge is located inside the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. This park protects the beautiful area around the New River. At the north end of the bridge, there's a visitor center. It has great views and a path that goes down into the gorge.

A view of the New River Gorge Bridge from the National Park Service Overlook.

Walking Under the Bridge

Did you know you can walk under the bridge? There's a narrow steel walkway, two feet (60 cm) wide, that runs the entire length of the bridge. It was first built for inspections. Now, visitors can take guided "Bridge Walk" tours. You wear safety gear and get to see the gorge from a unique viewpoint!

Bridge Day Festival

Every year, on the third Saturday of October, a special event called "Bridge Day" takes place. The bridge closes to cars for this festival. Hundreds of people come to watch or take part in exciting activities.

People can try rappelling (climbing down ropes) or BASE jumping from the bridge. It's a huge celebration of the bridge and the community. Because of safety rules, the entire bridge is closed to vehicles during this event.

The steel catwalk under the bridge is open for guided "Bridge Walk" tours.

A wide view of the New River Gorge Bridge and the surrounding area.

Gallery

The West Virginia state quarter, released in 2005, features the New River Gorge Bridge.
The bridge as seen from the National Park Service Visitors Center, with fog in the New River Gorge below.
A close-up view of the bridge's supports.
The walkway to the observation area near the Visitors Center.
The New River Gorge Bridge as seen from a small airplane. The Tunney Hunsaker Bridge is also visible.