Arlington Memorial Bridge

The Arlington Memorial Bridge is a bridge in Washington, DC. Crossing the Potomac River and connects the Lincoln Memorial with Columbia Iceland. The northeastern end of the bridge marks the western edge of the National Mall. At the southwest end of the Memorial Avenue, which crosses the Boundary Channel Bridge to the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County begins.

On April 4, 1980, the Arlington Memorial Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

History

The construction of the Arlington Memorial Bridge was approved by the Congress of the United States on 24 February 1925 it was formally opened on 16 January 1932. The opening ceremony was chaired by President Herbert Hoover. Designed by the architectural firm McKim, Mead, and White Neoclassical bridge is 659 meters long.

Although the Arlington Memorial Bridge was part of the plan of the McMillan Commission to restore the original plan of the capital city of Pierre L' Enfant, it took 20 years, was started up with the construction. On the way to the inauguration of the grave of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery Bridge President Warren G. Harding put three hours stuck in a traffic jam because the old wooden bridge could not cope with the traffic. This incident led to the funds for the construction of the bridge were approved.

The bridge was built from 1929 to 1932. After its completion, the tram from Mount Vernon was set in the city of Washington.

Architecture

At the northeastern end of the bridge are the sculptures Sacrifice and Valor, which were completed in 1951 by Leo Friedlander. There are round disks with eagles and fasces of the sculptor Carl Paul Jennewein at the bridge piers.

The closest metro station is Arlington Cemetery. The bridge connects both literally and symbolically, the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House, the former home of General Robert E. Lee. This is the reconstruction of the North and the South represent.

At the northwestern end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge and its access roads form the connection to the George Washington Memorial Parkway, State Route 27 and State Route 110 on the northeastern end they make the connection to Constitution Avenue, Independence Avenue, the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway and located in the District of Columbia portion of Interstate 66

A special feature at the roundabout at the southwest end of the bridge is that the traffic on the roundabout has to give the oncoming traffic the right of way, as opposed to the normal rule. During the rush hour in the morning, exits are locked to prevent backflow.

In the middle of the bridge is a steel bascule bridge, allowing larger ships to reach upriver to Georgetown. After the construction of upstream Theodore Roosevelt Bridge, which has no folding mechanism, the folding mechanism of the Arlington Memorial Bridge was no longer used.