John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge
The John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge (previously called the Shelby Street Bridge or Shelby Avenue Bridge) is a truss bridge that spans the Cumberland River in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. The bridge spans 3,150 feet (960 m)[1] and is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world.
John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge
Pedestrians and bicycles
multi-span truss bridge
3,150 feet (960 m)[1]
36.4 feet (11.1 m)
317.8 feet (96.9 m)
16 feet (4.9 m)
July 5, 1909
Repair work[edit]
After twenty-five years of use, it became apparent that there was something wrong with the concrete on the Sparkman Street Bridge. The worn surfaces of the concrete were chipped away between 1927 and 1930 and replaced with gunite.
Thirty years later, repair work had to be done again. The Standard Engineering Company of Albany, New York was hired to repair the weathered bridge. They subcontracted the steel work to the Nashville Bridge Company. During this repair time, the Jefferson Street Bridge was also repaired.
Renaming[edit]
In April 2014, the bridge was renamed the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge in honor of journalist and civil rights advocate John Seigenthaler.[5] While reporting for The Tennessean in the 1950s, Seigenthaler once physically prevented a suicidal man from jumping off the bridge.[6]
Media related to John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge at Wikimedia Commons