Thursday, May 23, 2013

LA Top Bridges you Should Visit

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By Greg Baker


LA is a city full of sight seeing, not only famous artists. Bridges in Los Angeles are as famous as historic landmarks throughout the city. Take a day out of your trip to visit bridges in Los Angeles.

Vincent Thomas Bridge

The Vincent Thomas Bridge is one of the longest suspension bridges in Los Angeles. The bridge connects San Pedro with Terminal Island. Built in 1963, the bridge is 1.1 miles long. The bridge has a suspension span of over 1,500 feet. Building the Vincent Thomas Bridge was no small job. The bridge is made of 14,000 tons of steel, 1,200 tons of suspension cable and 92,000 tons of concrete. Before the bridge was opened, the sole way to reach Terminal Island was by ferry. The original cost of the ferry was 5 cents. Men were known to swim the channel to not pay the fee.

Gerald Desmond Bridge

If you are a popular culture buff, the Gerald Desmond Bridge is a must see attraction. This famous bridge was employed in the film Head. The film features the first persistence ceremony of the bridge. Gerald Desmond Bridge incorporates a through arch design. The bridge carries passengers across the Cerritos Channel and onto Terminal Island. Built in 1965, the bridge spans 410 feet and features a suspension over the centre of the bridge. In 2010, the city authorised replacing the bridge at a cost of $800 million. Completion is lined up for the year 2016.

Commodore Schuyler F. Heim Bridge

One of the more interesting Los Angeles bridges is the Commodore Schuyler F. Heim Bridge. Found in the Port of Los Angeles, the bridge was opened to traffic in 1948. The bridge has the honour of being the largest vertical-lift bridge in the Western United States. The vertical-lift allows easy access to boats and ships traveling through the Port of L. A.. Like the Gerald Desmond Bridge, the Commodore Schuyler F. Heim Bridge has been featured in TV and film. Most particularly in the 2010 film Inauguration. As you can see, Los Angles bridges are famous for their distinct architecture.




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