Sunday, February 03, 2008

The Galloping Gertie

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a pair of mile-long suspension bridges in the U.S. state of Washington, which carry State Route 16 across the Tacoma Narrows between Tacoma and the Kitsap Peninsula. The first bridge opened to traffic on July 1, 1940 and became famous four months later for a dramatic wind-induced structural collapse that was caught on motion picture film. The original span’s resonance earned it the nickname Galloping Gertie. Here is some incredible footage of that collapse:

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