The current Tacoma Narrows Bridge is located across the Narrows of the lower Puget Sound about four miles northwest of the business district of Tacoma (the seat of Pierce County government). Architect, builder, or engineer: John A. Roeblings, Sons Co., Bethlehem Pacific Coast Steel Corp. Historic Person: Charles E. Andrew, et al.Tacoma Narrows Bridge Ruins; Also known as "Galloping Gertie" is part of the underwater landscape of the Tacoma Narrows. The first Tacoma Narrows Bridge stretched like a steel ribbon across the narrow Puget Sound channel (almost a mile wide). It was designed by Washington State engineer Clark Eldridge and altered by Leon Moisseiff. It opened on July 1, 1940. Four months later the bridge swayed violently and then collapsed during a 42 mile-per-hour windstorm on November 7, 1940. The failure was due to the bridge's design reacting to the wind in the Narrows.
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge failure has become famous as "the most dramatic failure in bridge engineering history." Now, it is "one of the world's largest man-made reefs." The sunken remains of the bridge, at a depth of 180 feet (55m), were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 to protect it from salvagers.
The current Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened in October 14, 1950. It is the fifth longest suspension bridge in the United States. A twin suspension bridge is being constructed parallel to and just 185 feet south of the 1950 span. The old steel bridge will carry the westbound lanes (Hwy 16) when the concrete bridge alongside is completed. The new bridge will carry eastbound traffic when it opens in early summer 2007.
I cannot locate any underwater photos of the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge. I took the photo of the current Tacoma Narrows Bridge from Amtrak Train #750 enroute to Seattle, Washington on November 5, 2000.
Instructions for logging waymark: a photograph is required that shows you (or your GPS receiver, if you are waymarking solo) and the place.