Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges

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The Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Twin Bridges, (usually referred to as simply The Twin Bridges, despite differences in their widths), are located in Henderson County, Kentucky and connect Henderson, Kentucky, and Evansville, Indiana, along U.S. Route 41 (US 41), two miles (3.2 km) south of the current southern terminus of Interstate 69 (I-69). The two bridges average more than 40,000 vehicles crossings a day across the Ohio River. The northbound bridge opened to traffic on July 4, 1932. The southbound bridge opened on December 16, 1965, but will be decommissioned after the completion of the I-69 Ohio River Crossing about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) east, which is scheduled to be completed in 2031. The more historic northbound bridge will remain in service for US-41 as a two way bridge. Both of the Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges are cantilever bridges. The northbound bridge stands 100 feet (30 m) over the Ohio River with a main span of 720 feet (220 m), with the steel gridwork extending 100 feet (30 m) above the driving surface. The southbound span has a main span of 600 feet (180 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, when what would be Indiana was part of the unorganized Northwest Territory. 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 Kentucky. 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 Depression. 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 5,395-foot (1, 644 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 Gov

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.