Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges
Encyclopedia
The Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Twin Bridges, usually referred to as simply The Twin Bridges, connect Henderson, Kentucky
and Evansville, Indiana
along U.S. 41, one mile (1.6 km) south of the terminus of I-164. The bridges carry nearly 40,000 vehicles a day across the Ohio River
. The northbound bridge opened to traffic on July 4, 1932 and the southbound bridge opened in December 1966.
Both of the Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges are cantilever bridges. The northbound bridge stands 100 feet (30.5 m) over the Ohio River with a main span of 720 feet (219.5 m), with the steel gridwork extending 100 feet (30.5 m) above the driving surface. The southbound span has a main span of 600 feet (182.9 m).
An unusual fact about the Bridges is that they are entirely within Kentucky. Although the Ohio River forms most of the border between Kentucky
and Indiana
, the state border is based on the course of the river as it existed when Kentucky became a state
in 1792. Due to the New Madrid earthquake
of 1812, the river changed course to the south, leaving the land where the Bridges cross the river within the Kentucky border.
. It was originally named the John James Audubon Bridge, or Audubon Memorial Bridge, after John James Audubon
, who lived in Henderson in the 1810s. It was built by notable bridge designer Ralph Modjeski
. The 5395 feet (1,644.4 m) long cantilever
bridge cost $2.4 million to build, with the federal government paying half, with the states of Kentucky and Indiana paying the remainder.
The dedication ceremony featured Kentucky governor Ruby Laffoon
and Indiana governor Harry G. Leslie
shaking hands with one another, as 22 military planes under the command of Jimmy Doolittle
flew overhead with cannon fire and boat whistles in the distance celebrating the occasion. A flotilla
of boats passed under the bridge, taking forty minutes to do so and a two mile (3 km) parade lasting two hours also celebrated the occasion. More than 100,000 visitors attended the celebration and 111,091 vehicles crossed the bridge in its first two days of operation, creating delays of up to two hours to go from Henderson to Evansville.
With the influx of tourists using US-41 to cross the Ohio River, the city of Henderson decided to take advantage of the bridge by establishing John James Audubon State Park
in 1936. Originally, crossing the bridge required paying a toll, usually 30 to 35 cents for cars, and a nickel for pedestrians. The toll was removed on March 20, 1941.
directed that at least two lanes in each direction should remain open during the construction. The maintenance ended in the summer of 2008. The last time the northbound bridge was rehabbed was in 1983.
After the I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapsed in Minnesota
in August 2007, officials stated that the main threat to the safety of the Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges would be a "catastrophic earthquake
". This statement was made before the 2008 Illinois earthquake
. After the 5.2 earthquake hit, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokesman Keith Todd said that such a quake "would not be expected to cause damage to well-engineered structures." However, both bridges were inspected as a precaution.
The bridges are located at 37°54'15" N, 87°33'02" W. Although they are not currently on the list, they have been ruled eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places
.
Henderson, Kentucky
Henderson is a city in Henderson County, Kentucky, United States, along the Ohio River in the western part of the state. The population was 27,952 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Evansville Metropolitan Area often referred to as "Kentuckiana", although "Tri-State Area" or "Tri-State" are more...
and Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
along U.S. 41, one mile (1.6 km) south of the terminus of I-164. The bridges carry nearly 40,000 vehicles a day across the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. The northbound bridge opened to traffic on July 4, 1932 and the southbound bridge opened in December 1966.
Both of the Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges are cantilever bridges. The northbound bridge stands 100 feet (30.5 m) over the Ohio River with a main span of 720 feet (219.5 m), with the steel gridwork extending 100 feet (30.5 m) above the driving surface. The southbound span has a main span of 600 feet (182.9 m).
An unusual fact about the Bridges is that they are entirely within Kentucky. Although the Ohio River forms most of the border between Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, the state border is based on the course of the river as it existed when Kentucky became a state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
in 1792. Due to the New Madrid earthquake
New Madrid earthquake
The 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes were an intense intraplate earthquake series beginning with an initial pair of very large earthquakes on December 16, 1811. These earthquakes remain the most powerful earthquakes ever to hit the eastern United States in recorded history...
of 1812, the river changed course to the south, leaving the land where the Bridges cross the river within the Kentucky border.
History
The northbound span of the Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges was the second of three bridges built in Henderson County in 1932, a building novelty during the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. It was originally named the John James Audubon Bridge, or Audubon Memorial Bridge, after John James Audubon
John James Audubon
John James Audubon was a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. He was notable for his expansive studies to document all types of American birds and for his detailed illustrations that depicted the birds in their natural habitats...
, who lived in Henderson in the 1810s. It was built by notable bridge designer Ralph Modjeski
Ralph Modjeski
Ralph Modjeski was a Polish-born American civil engineer who achieved prominence as a pre-eminent bridge designer in the United States.-Life:...
. The 5395 feet (1,644.4 m) long cantilever
Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
bridge cost $2.4 million to build, with the federal government paying half, with the states of Kentucky and Indiana paying the remainder.
Ruby Laffoon
Ruby Laffoon was a politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. He was the state's 43rd governor, serving from 1931 to 1935. At age 17, Laffoon moved to Washington, D.C. to live with his uncle, U.S. Representative Polk Laffoon...
and Indiana governor Harry G. Leslie
Harry G. Leslie
Harry Guyer Leslie was a Indiana Republican Party politician, speaker of the state house and the 33rd Governor of the state. His term as governor was marked by the start of the Great Depression.-Family and education:...
shaking hands with one another, as 22 military planes under the command of Jimmy Doolittle
Jimmy Doolittle
General James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle, USAF was an American aviation pioneer. Doolittle served as a brigadier general, major general and lieutenant general in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War...
flew overhead with cannon fire and boat whistles in the distance celebrating the occasion. A flotilla
Flotilla
A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers...
of boats passed under the bridge, taking forty minutes to do so and a two mile (3 km) parade lasting two hours also celebrated the occasion. More than 100,000 visitors attended the celebration and 111,091 vehicles crossed the bridge in its first two days of operation, creating delays of up to two hours to go from Henderson to Evansville.
With the influx of tourists using US-41 to cross the Ohio River, the city of Henderson decided to take advantage of the bridge by establishing John James Audubon State Park
John James Audubon State Park
John James Audubon State Park is located on U. S. Highway 41 in Henderson, Kentucky, just south of the Ohio River. Its inspiration is John James Audubon, the ornithologist, naturalist and painter who resided in Henderson from 1810 to 1819 when Henderson was a frontier village.-History:John James...
in 1936. Originally, crossing the bridge required paying a toll, usually 30 to 35 cents for cars, and a nickel for pedestrians. The toll was removed on March 20, 1941.
Renovations
In 2007, the Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges underwent $22 million in renovations involving maintenance and painting. Kentucky governor Ernie FletcherErnie Fletcher
Ernest Lee "Ernie" Fletcher is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. In 1999, he was elected to the first of three consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives; he resigned in 2003 after being elected the 60th governor of Kentucky and served in that office...
directed that at least two lanes in each direction should remain open during the construction. The maintenance ended in the summer of 2008. The last time the northbound bridge was rehabbed was in 1983.
After the I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapsed in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
in August 2007, officials stated that the main threat to the safety of the Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges would be a "catastrophic earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
". This statement was made before the 2008 Illinois earthquake
2008 Illinois earthquake
The 2008 Illinois earthquake was one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in the state of Illinois, measuring a magnitude of 5.4. It occurred at 4:37:00am CDT on April 18 within the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone at a depth of 11.6 km...
. After the 5.2 earthquake hit, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokesman Keith Todd said that such a quake "would not be expected to cause damage to well-engineered structures." However, both bridges were inspected as a precaution.
The bridges are located at 37°54'15" N, 87°33'02" W. Although they are not currently on the list, they have been ruled eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.