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Tip of the Week: April 21, 2007

Live in or visit San Diego, you can't miss it, but what do you

know about it?

The Coronado Bridge, a San Diego landmark, opened August 3, 1969.

It was built during the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the

founding of the West Coast's oldest city, San Diego. Construction

began in 1967 at a cost of $50 million.

The bridge received an award from the American Institute of Steel

Construction as "Most Beautiful Bridge" in 1970.

BASIC STATS:

The bridge is one of the world's great bridges for the number and size

of its 30 concrete towers. The towers were designed to reflect the

mission arch shape, associated historically, with regional architecture.

It is 2.12-mile long (11,179-foot) with a 200 ft. clearance for the

tallest ships (aircraft carriers) to pass underneath

The blue color was chosen to blend with sky and sea. Painting the

bridge is a never-ending job. A four-person crew works year-round

to keep it protected from corrosive ocean breezes.

Leaving Coronado, 90-degree turn mid-span serves to make the bridge

long enough to achieve a 4.67 percent grade, This 2,850-foot section

is the longest in the U.S. using curved steel plate girders.

The steel superstructure was fabricated and partially erected in

the San Francisco Bay Area. Girders were barged down the Pacific

Coast and lifted into place by the largest barge crane in the West,

the "Marine Boss."

Precast prestressed concrete girders of up to 165-feet in length

were manufactured in Long Beach. These are among the longest of

their kind in use in the country.

The 34-inch high barrier railing is safety designed to redirect vehicles

back onto the roadway with little or no damage,and still permit an

unobstructed views while crossing the bridge

Rumors are 'afloat' as to whether the middle section can collapse

to accomodate more ships in the event of an emergency or that the

bay is mined to protect the military assets but neither can be

confirmed.

On July 1, 2002, the bridge became toll-free after all construction

bonds were paid.

The bridge was designed entirely and exclusively for motor-vehicle

traffic: there are no pedestrian walkways, bike paths, or even

shoulders ("breakdown lanes").

The Coronado Bridge is featured in movies and television: the TV

show, Simon & Simon, the movie Anchorman: The Legend of Ron

Burgundy (2004) and the TV show, Veronica Mars has used the bridge

in its shots.

So, next time you see the Coronado Bridge, we hope you'll see it

differently.