Friday, September 09, 2011

N/A Fun at Work

Air Photo for reference
I got a chance to have some fun at work today. I went to the top of the Twin Spans and took a few pictures but really just enjoyed the view.  Not as much fun as flying, but fun stuff none the less! I have taken many pictures as we fly in and out of Wilmington, I never get tired of looking at such cool structures.

Delaware over my shoulder
Wilmington in the background
West view from on top of the New Jersey Tower
Here is some backgrond info on the bridges where I work.

The world's second longest twin suspension bridge

The Delaware Memorial Bridge links Delaware and New Jersey in graceful twin suspension spans that soar high above the Delaware River, just north of the mouth of the Delaware Bay. The twin spans touch down in New Castle, Delaware, and in Pennsville, New Jersey. The Delaware Memorial Bridge is a self-supporting toll bridge operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, a bi-state agency.

The bridge is a lasting memorial to those soldiers who gave their lives in World War II, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm. Each year on Veterans Day, a special ceremony is held at the Bridge War Memorial, which overlooks the Twin Span.

3 comments:

Frank Van Haste said...

Thanks for the neat shots of the bridge, Gary! I've enjoyed crossing the span on many occasions but never had a top-of-tower view...way cool!

We should probably take the opportunity to note that your bridge is part of the oeuvre of the engineering genius Othmar H. Ammann. So many of our structural icons came from his productive drawing board.

Best,

Frank

Rustedgranny said...

OMG! You climb way up that high ...gulp...on a bridge!?

Scared me to death just looking at the picture over your shoulder.

Great views, but I prefer them from the safety of a cockpit!

Sure is pretty though.

Gary said...

Frank,
Yes,Othmar H. Ammann served as a consultant to HNTB, our bridge designers.

He has a distinct pedigree that ties him to many bridges. He designed more than half of the eleven bridges that connect New York City to the rest of the United States!

Rustedgranny,
With my metal parts I use the elevators! :) The cables are always an option but they would not be my choice. It's very quiet on top of the bridge and the view is excellent....think of it as on short final clearing the fence. The top tower platform elevation is approximately 430' off the water.