摘要: |
Outside of Charlotte, N.C., the majestic Swift Island Arch Bridge spans the Pee Dee River. Its unique history harkens back to events that occurred before it was built. Just a few years earlier, in 1922, a three-span, open-spandrel concrete arch bridge had been erected to cross the river. Then, to make way for a dam and hydroelectric plant, the crossing was flooded to create Lake Tillery. The new, higher-elevation Swift Island Arch Bridge was constructed to replace the original bridge, and the older bridge was destroyed. The original bridge's demise provided valuable information on bridge construction and demolition. In what would become known as the "Battle of Swift Island Bridge," the U.S. Army tried various techniques to demolish it. First, the bridge was overloaded with weight, then it was bombed from the air, and, finally, explosives were used to bring it down. |