Sidney Lanier Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sidney Lanier Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 31°07′04″N 81°29′06″W / 31.11773°N 81.48503°W |
| Carries |  US 17 |
| Crosses | Brunswick River |
| Locale | Brunswick, Georgia |
| Official name | Sidney Lanier Bridge |
| Maintained by | Georgia Department of Transportation |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cable-stayed bridge |
| Total length | 7,779 ft (2371 m) |
| Width | 79.5 ft (24 m) |
| Longest span | 1,250 feet (381 m) |
| Clearance below | 185 feet |
| History | |
| Opened | 2003 |
The Sidney Lanier Bridge is a really cool bridge in Brunswick, Georgia. It's a special type called a cable-stayed bridge. This means it uses strong cables connected to tall towers to hold up the main part of the bridge. It carries four lanes of U.S. Route 17 over the Brunswick River.
This bridge is super important because it's the longest bridge in Georgia. It stretches for 7,779 feet (2,371 meters) and stands 480 feet (146 meters) tall! The bridge is named after a famous poet, Sidney Lanier.
Every year, usually in February, there's a fun event called the "Bridge Run." People get to run or walk across the bridge. One side of the bridge is closed to cars just for this event.
The bridge also has a special amateur radio repeater on top of one of its pillars. This helps radio enthusiasts communicate over long distances.
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The Sidney Lanier Bridge: A Look at Its Past
The first Sidney Lanier Bridge opened on June 22, 1956. It was a different kind of bridge, called a vertical-lift bridge. This meant a section could go up and down to let tall ships pass.
Sadly, this first bridge was involved in two serious accidents.
- On November 7, 1972, a ship called the African Neptune hit the bridge. Parts of the bridge fell, and some cars went into the water. Ten people tragically lost their lives in this accident.
- On May 3, 1987, another ship, the Polish freighter Ziemia Bialostocka, struck the bridge again.
Because of these accidents, a new, safer bridge was needed. That's why the current Sidney Lanier Bridge was built.
The Bridge in Movies
The original Sidney Lanier Bridge even appeared in a movie! Scenes from the 1974 film The Longest Yard were filmed there. In the movie, the main character, played by Burt Reynolds, used the lifting part of the bridge to get away from the police.
Comparing Bridges: Sidney Lanier and Others
People often compare the Sidney Lanier Bridge to two other big bridges nearby. These are the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Talmadge Memorial Bridge in Savannah, Georgia.
All three bridges are very impressive! The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, finished in 2005, is just one foot taller underneath than the Sidney Lanier Bridge and the Talmadge Memorial Bridge. However, the Ravenel Bridge has eight lanes for traffic, while the Sidney Lanier and Talmadge bridges each have four. The Ravenel also has a special lane just for bikes and people walking.
Here's a quick comparison of these three amazing bridges:
| Name | Year | Span | Length | Vertical Clearance | Lanes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge | 2005 | 1,546 ft 471 m |
13,200 ft 4,000 m |
186 ft 57 m |
8 | Includes bike/pedestrian lane |
| Sidney Lanier Bridge | 2003 | 1,250 ft 380 m |
7,779 ft 2,371 m |
185 ft 56 m |
4 | |
| Talmadge Memorial Bridge | 1991 | 1,100 ft 340 m |
10,032 ft 3,058 m |
185 ft 56 m |
4 |
Unique Features of the Sidney Lanier Bridge
Before the Sidney Lanier Bridge was finished in 2003, there was only one other bridge in the United States that looked quite like it. That was the Dames Point Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida. Both bridges have a special design where the cables holding them up look like a harp. This makes them stand out!
Images for kids
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Original Sidney Lanier Bridge on left, new bridge under construction, April 2001
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Sidney Lanier Bridge, June 2005
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Sidney Lanier Bridge, seen from Jekyll Island
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The Sidney Lanier Bridge crossing the Brunswick River
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Sidney Lanier Bridge at night, July 2020
