Daniel Carter Beard Bridge
Daniel Carter Beard Bridge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 39°06′02″N 84°29′40″W / 39.1006°N 84.4945°W |
| Carries | 8 lanes of  I-471 |
| Crosses | Ohio River |
| Locale | Newport, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Other name(s) | Big Mac Bridge |
| Maintained by | Kentucky Transportation Cabinet[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Twin bowstring arch bridges |
| Total length | 639.93 meters (2,099.5 feet) |
| Width | 15.27 meters (50.1 feet) |
| Longest span | 230.92 meters (757.6 feet) |
| Clearance above | 5.49 meters (18 feet) |
| History | |
| Construction cost | $14 million[2] |
| Opened | January 1976 (southbound) December 1976 (northbound) |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 97,900 |
| Location | |
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The Daniel Carter Beard Bridge (also known colloquially as the Big Mac Bridge), is a yellow twin span steel bowstring arch bridge crossing the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio. It carries Interstate 471 between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Newport, Kentucky. As to the origin of this nickname, its yellow arches are said to be similar to the "Golden Arches" logo of McDonald's restaurant.[3] The nickname was coined by local residents after the bridge's golden arches were constructed. In the 1980s, McDonald's considered opening a floating restaurant at the base after the nickname caught on, but never went to construction.[4] This bridge has a main span of 750 feet (230 m) and has a total span of 2,100 feet (640 m). It is named in honor of Daniel Carter Beard, the founder of the Sons of Daniel Boone and one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America.[5]
The bridge was originally designed by Hazelet + Erdal, now URS Corporation.
The bridge was originally configured with three lanes and an emergency shoulder on each span. In December 2000, with the completion of a reconstruction project on the 3rd Street Viaduct approach, the bridge was reconfigured to four lanes on each span.
In the early morning hours of November 1, 2024, a fire beneath the bridge in Sawyer Point Park spread to the park's playground, engulfing the bridge in flames and causing structural damage.[6][7][8]
See also
[edit]
Transport portal
Engineering portal
United States portal
Ohio portal- List of crossings of the Ohio River
- List of longest arch bridge spans
References
[edit]- ^ "ArcGIS Web Application".
- ^ "Bridges & Tunnels | Daniel Carter Beard Bridge (Interstate 471)". Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
- ^ Pond, Robert J. (May 1, 2003). Follow the Blue Blazes: A Guide To Hiking Ohio's Buckeye Trail. Ohio University Press. p. 93. ISBN 9780821414897. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
- ^ Smith, Steve; et al. (2007). "Around Town: How to Decode Cincinnati's Many Motorways". Cincinnati USA City Guide. Cincinnati Magazine. p. 79. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
- ^ "Bridge to open". Kentucky New Era. October 28, 1976. p. 8. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
- ^ "CFD: I-471 closed in both directions after fire engulfed bridge, Sawyer Point Park". WCPO 9 News. November 1, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
- ^ "Massive fire damages Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, I-471 closed". FOX19 Cincinnati. November 1, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
- ^ "Massive fire shuts down Daniel Carter Beard Bridge and I-471 over Ohio River". WKRC. November 1, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Daniel Carter Beard Bridge at Bridges & Tunnels
- Daniel Carter Beard Bridge at Cincinnati Transit
- Daniel Carter Beard Bridge at Structurae
Bridges of the Ohio River | ||||
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- Bridges in Cincinnati
- Bridges completed in 1976
- Newport, Kentucky
- Bridges over the Ohio River
- Tied arch bridges in the United States
- Road bridges in Kentucky
- Road bridges in Ohio
- Buildings and structures in Campbell County, Kentucky
- Interstate 71
- 1976 establishments in Kentucky
- Bridges on the Interstate Highway System
- 1976 establishments in Ohio
- Steel bridges in the United States
- Transportation in Campbell County, Kentucky