big bridge span railroad bridge crosses connecting louisville kentucky indiana completed updated largest single span feet entire bridge spanning feet took defunct cleveland cincinnati chicago nicknamed big railroad converted pedestrian bicycle bridge louisville indiana access big bridge limited pedestrian bicycle use pedestrian ramp kentucky opened february original approaches carried rail traffic main spans removed earning big bridge nickname bridge goes george rogers downstream carries river previously bridge allowing pedestrians travel louisville neighboring indiana cities february kentucky governor indiana governor announced states million funding complete big bridge project creating pedestrian bicycle path link louisville indiana spend million provide million matching dollars pay construction ramp kentucky pledged million replace deck bridge connect spiral ramp completed february louisville ramp opened pedestrian bicycle traffic initially planned august ramp opened description big bridge span bridge totaling long clearance northernmost span panel parker spans long panel pennsylvania southern spans panel parker carried single track railway history big bridge conceived city interests louisville formed construct big bridge charter state indiana kentucky chartered company industry big economic factor requested bridge built upstream falls ohio approved building site vocal construction construction began october louisville bridge accidents building thirty seven individuals died construction died working pier foundation supposed hold river water flooded drowning workers men died months wooden beam broke working different pier biggest bridge disasters united_states occurring december construction crane severe wind causing support damaged workers fall workers survived died accident cost lives ferry crossing barely missed hit hours later span damaged span fell river time causing injuries result reinforced prevent occurrences prevent strong winds causing similar damage special frame new rule enforced trust joint longer necessary place finally completed september location bridge growth interchange avoid columns approach bridge causing interchange lane ramps single stretch highway helped earn nickname accidents louisville financially building bridge later sold indianapolis based cleveland cincinnati chicago known gave railway entry louisville market railroad likely bridge bought desired access louisville rail operation effect opening increased transportation freight rail significantly decreasing number boats time crossed dozens february baltimore ohio train accidentally crossed engineer falling asleep going wrong way indiana kept coal pay attention conductor finally noticed error midway train way september crossed big bridge january collided killing injuring aboard increasing weight rail traffic contracts finalized june build bigger opened june new big bridge built piers old bridge novel building process sped time necessary build new bridge old served reinforce new built old piers entirely removed construction usual rail traffic routed big bridge instead indiana passengers board buses louisville duration big reconstruction ownership president costa_rica contacted louisville mayor buying bridge costa_rica believed cheaper import bridge build new time city actually bridge plan went post railway use big bridge fell parent company merged traffic routed louisville fourteenth street bridge approach spans removed sold scrap result louisville bridge fall use gained nickname bridge goes 1970s 1980s local radio station lit bridge gap christmas promotion fund local families lights spelled unsuccessful litigation stop project converted pedestrian bicycle bridge louisville waterfront park ongoing louisville conversion proposed planned 1990s pledged million project build ramp indiana riverside drive pledged early estimates indiana ramp cost million likely increase kentucky ramp expected cost million ramp foundation fixing expected cost million months facility standing owned cleveland cincinnati chicago mayor called redesign entrance ramp bridge indiana stressing proposed ramp building column flood plain probably possible pointed united_states_coast_guard approved planned said ramp reached ended street causing severe bridge previous plans access included building elevator plans included suspension ramp allow leave big bridge length time new downtown bridge built needing alternative pedestrians george rogers closed happens yearly preferred idea converting big relying new downtown bridge clark bridge mid july work begun convert bridge pedestrian walkway approach ramps bridge span mile february pedestrians allowed access completed bridge ramp kentucky construction continuing indiana ramp indiana ramp opened lighting bridge required safety redesigned nearby residents originally lighting like kentucky computer controlled lights colors indiana construction cautious historic properties thunder louisville big bridge sets limit close private boats fireworks centered bridges away george rogers plans spend upgrades near bridge place late early improvements include additional landscaping new path west ramp plaza underneath bridge fires closing rail bridge reopening pedestrian span bridge seen occasional fires 1970s christmas lights posted bridge promote toy drive started fire louisville fire departments fought hours blaze bridge caught fire quarter mile north louisville end shortly noon suspected started electrical problem fire troubles age condition bridge wood bridge unsafe firefighters scale fire bridge years chief decided firefighters sent bridge boat fire louisville fire boat reach blaze bridge took half hours control fire navigation lights heavy barge traffic changed time report according shut river traffic mile bridge debris falling aging bridge official determination cause fire expected june
Big Four Bridge