The Royal Gorge Bridge is one of the tourist
attraction near Canon City, Colorado,
within a 360-acre (150 ha) theme park. The bridge deck hangs 955 feet (291 m)
above the Arkansas River, and
held the record of highest bridge in
the world from 1929 until 2003, when it was surpassed by the Beipanjiang
River 2003 Bridge in China. It is a suspension bridge with a main span of 938
feet (286 m). The bridge is 1,260 feet
(384 m) long and 18 feet (5.5 m) wide, with a wooden walkway with 1292 planks.
The bridge is suspended from towers that are 150 feet (46 m) high.
The bridge was constructed in Six months, between June 5, 1929, and
late November 1929, as a toll bridge, at a cost of $350,000. It was listed in
the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The bridge was not
constructed for Transportation purposes;
instead, it was built with the intent that it serve as a tourist attraction,
and has continued to be one of the most-visited tourist attractions in Colorado
since its construction. The road is designated as Fremont County Road 3A. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad runs under
the bridge along the base of Royal Gorge.
Measuring from deck to
the river below, the Royal Gorge Bridge held the Record of highest bridge in the world from 1929 to 2003, when it
was surpassed by the Beipanjiang River 2003 Bridge. It is still the highest bridge in North America. The
cable-stayed Viaduc de Millau, completed in December 2004, is the tallest
bridge in the world, at 1,118 feet (341 m), measured from the ground to the top
of the bridge piers. However, its deck is only 885 feet (270 m) above the River
Tarn. The height of the Royal Gorge Bridge makes it an attractive spot for
suicide by jumping; however, park and security personnel constantly patrol the
bridge in order to prevent such suicides.
BASE
jumper Kenyon Salo launches himself from a platform during a Go Fast! Games event that is held
every September at the bridge. Photographers catch all the action from a
circular 'trampoline' platform suspended beneath the deck. Go Fast Sports &
Beverage Jet Pack Pilot Eric Scott bumps hands with High Angle Rescue Team
Member Hank Caylor. Scott flew across the gorge on November 24th, 2008 in what
was the highest jet pack flight ever.
He works for Jet Pack International and is the most experienced jet pack pilot
in the world with more than 15 years of flying. BASE jumper Jimmy Pouchert keeps his Wing suit on for a bungee
jump.
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