Bridges.

The William H. Natcher Bridge at Maceo, Kentucky.

Photo by jrd.

This relatively new bridge crosses the Ohio River near Maceo, KY to near Rockport, IN. It is just too huge for a picture taken from the Kentucky side approach. The bridge is just awesome and I recommend those that have not seen it, to make a point to do so. I don't think that you will be disappointed.

I have always been fascinated with bridges. People have been building bridges for thousands of years. Guess that they started with a simple fallen tree across a creek and advanced from there. And advance they did. A hundred and fifty years ago and in the Civil War era, bridges were being built that would support a team of horses pulling a loaded wagon. Enter the twentieth century and bridges were being built that would support locomotives and their following railroad cars. The Highway Bridge at Rockport was completed in 1940 and that places it close to seventy years old. The railroad bridge is even older. Of course, they do fall. The engineers and the "Bridge Inspectors" will shout and complain about the condition, but the bridges seldom get enough preventative maintenance. The cost is just much higher that the people crossing the bridges want to pay. The Rockport railroad bridge has not been painted in more than thirty years and it shows. Would you care to guess at the cost of having it painted? It would probably cost more to paint the bridge that it cost to build the bridge. I will bet the people in Minnesota wish that they had spent some money on the bridge that recently collapsed. Bridges are designed and built for a maximum capacity and most of our bridges today are exceeding that capacity, most probably double their designed capacity. We always wait until something gets our attention and then we seem to grab for just about anything. Must we always learn the hard way.

If you are here and reading; Thanks. I know that you have looked over the pages and are interested enough to read a lot of material that may not be very interesting. Without you reading and looking, what I do would be for naught. Thanks.
See you.........
jrd