Take it to the Bridge
When the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory opens for pedestrians this month — tentatively scheduled for October 14, with motorized traffic
When the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory opens for pedestrians this month — tentatively scheduled for October 14, with motorized traffic beginning in November — it will mark the public introduction of a span that promises to become a new Maine landmark. Here are a few of the less-obvious reasons why.
5 miles
Total length of the 288 pilings driven to bedrock to support the Verona Island tower.
331 miles
Total length of the epoxy-coated strands that make up the bridge cables; roughly equal to the distance from Portland to Fort Kent.1.02 million pounds
Weight of reinforcing steel rods in bridge piers and towers.
373,000
Hours of labor contracted by Cianbro/Reed & Reed, the two Maine-based companies building the bridge.
1
Rank of the bridge in local loftiness. At 420 feet, the observation deck atop the Prospect tower will be the tallest occupied structure in Maine.
What a gas!
Each cable strand is enclosed in a stainless-steel sleeve filled with nitrogen to combat corrosion, a first in bridge construction.
6,000 cubic yards
The amount of concrete in the bridge foundations, enough to fill a football field nineteen feet deep (not counting the end zones).
$846,000
Cost of the old Waldo-Hancock Bridge, built in 1931.
$84 million
Cost of the new bridge in 2006. Talk about inflation!
100,000
Number of observatory visitors expected annually.
100 miles
Viewshed from the observation deck in all directions (on a clear day).
0
Number of other bridge observatories in North America.
2
Number of other bridge observatories in the world (the others are in Slovakia and Thailand).
2,120 feet
Total length of bridge.
Look familiar?
Penobscot Narrows designer Figg Bridge Engineering of Tallahassee, Florida, also designed the cable-stayed Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa and was half the design team for the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge in Boston.
10,500 African elephants
That's the equivalent total weight of the bridge, or about 126 million pounds.
20,000 truckloads
Amount of rock blasted from the flank of Mount Tuck on the Prospect side, or about 340,000 tons.Us ed to build the new roadway and parking area for the observatory.
5 miles
Total length of the 288 pilings driven to bedrock to support the Verona Island tower.
331 miles
Total length of the epoxy-coated strands that make up the bridge cables; roughly equal to the distance from Portland to Fort Kent.1.02 million pounds
Weight of reinforcing steel rods in bridge piers and towers.
373,000
Hours of labor contracted by Cianbro/Reed & Reed, the two Maine-based companies building the bridge.
1
Rank of the bridge in local loftiness. At 420 feet, the observation deck atop the Prospect tower will be the tallest occupied structure in Maine.
What a gas!
Each cable strand is enclosed in a stainless-steel sleeve filled with nitrogen to combat corrosion, a first in bridge construction.
6,000 cubic yards
The amount of concrete in the bridge foundations, enough to fill a football field nineteen feet deep (not counting the end zones).
$846,000
Cost of the old Waldo-Hancock Bridge, built in 1931.
$84 million
Cost of the new bridge in 2006. Talk about inflation!
100,000
Number of observatory visitors expected annually.
100 miles
Viewshed from the observation deck in all directions (on a clear day).
0
Number of other bridge observatories in North America.
2
Number of other bridge observatories in the world (the others are in Slovakia and Thailand).
2,120 feet
Total length of bridge.
Look familiar?
Penobscot Narrows designer Figg Bridge Engineering of Tallahassee, Florida, also designed the cable-stayed Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa and was half the design team for the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge in Boston.
10,500 African elephants
That's the equivalent total weight of the bridge, or about 126 million pounds.
20,000 truckloads
Amount of rock blasted from the flank of Mount Tuck on the Prospect side, or about 340,000 tons.Us ed to build the new roadway and parking area for the observatory.
