The Blue Water Bridge
explanatory Essay
1219 words
The bridge we chose to select for our research paper is the Blue Water Bridge. The Blue Water Bridge spreads across the St. Clair River and conducts international traffic between Port Huron, Michigan, and Point Edward and Sarnia, Ontario. According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, “Located near the I-94 and I-69 interchange, the bridge forms a critical gateway linking Canada and the United States”. The Blue Water Bridge consists of tolls and inspection plazas on each side of the border where individuals pay for crossing and communication with inspection offices such as Immigration or Customs. The original Blue Water Bridge opened in 1938 and it was renovated in 1993. This bridge is a three-lane westbound bridge. The second …show more content…
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the blue water bridge is one of the most cutting-edge truss bridges in the world.
- Explains that the blue water bridge is unique because it is a major bridge that crosses over the st. clair river, located at the southern part of lake huron.
- Explains that the arch cantilever truss bridge has brilliant features like upside down towers which extend from the deck to the piers of the bridge.
- Explains the importance of environmental and geological factors in the construction of a truss bridge.
- Explains that the blue water bridge is made of steel and beams, which are sturdy materials that make it long-lasting and safe for vehicles to travel on.
In 1985, United States Congress allowed Michigan to increase the toll to gather funds for improvement projects. In 1991, the Federal Highway Administration signed an agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation concerning toll receipts. This agreement allowed the department to fund annual operating cost of the bridge. The $55 million improvement project was completed in November 1996. The Blue Water Bridge is also unique because of its location. It is a major bridge that crosses over the St. Clair River which is located at the southern part of Lake Huron. As mentioned above, the bridge also connects the United States and Canada. The Blue Water Bridge is special because it won several awards for engineering, public relations, and outstanding technical achievement. The climate surrounding the Blue Water bridge is usually seasonal meaning it changes according to the seasons. However, the climate is always …show more content…
However, before doing this we had to look more into depth on the materials we will use to construct our bridge. We also have to consider the possible environmental and geological factors that should be taken into consideration for our model. Pertaining to environmental and geological factors, there are many stipulations that structural engineers take into consideration before the construction of a truss bridge begins. The main objective of the geotechnical engineers are to protect the lives of others and avoid property damage from happening which can be caused by various geological conditions. Geological engineering uses principles of soil and rock mechanics to find surface conditions and materials.The Geotechnical engineers complete works such as: geological hazard assessments, material properties, landslide and slope stability, erosion, flooding, dewatering, and seismic investigations. These engineers closely examine all of these important factors before constructing a bridge in a certain location. According to Teach Engineering.com, constructing a safe and efficient bridge requires an ample amount of time and energy. Environmental and geological factors play a major role in construction, as
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In this essay, the author
- Explains that the peace bridge is the fastest growing international link in the world. the continental 1 link would make buffalo the common point in trucks heading to the united states from toronto.
- Opines that a new bridge would encourage people to travel through buffalo, rather than niagara falls.
- Opines that a new bridge is of major importance to the city of buffalo. it will bring many positives, and barely any negatives.
- Explains that a new bridge could bring prosperity back to buffalo after the great depression.
1195 wordsRead More - A Replacement for the Tapan Zee Bridgeexplanatory essayIn conclusion, “New York State Thruway Authority wants to provide for efficient, safe quality, timely completion of the construction project to replace Tappan Zee Bridge”[2]. Despite of the many environmental impacts of the project, there are many advantages for the transportation, safety, and welfare of the public.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the park authority of new york and new jersey had planned to construct a new bridge across to hudson because of raising demand in transportation.
- Describes tappan zee bridge as a cantilever and largest bridge in the united states of new york. the bridge connects south nyack in rockland county with tarrytown in westchester county.
- Explains that the bridge was built on the cheap in the 1950's. its cost was less than $81 million because it was applied as a truss design.
- Explains that in 2009, some problems about infrastructure arisen in the united states. engineers reported that the claims about the bridge are true. the bridge did not plan with long-term durability.
- Explains that the metropolitan transportation authority is studying for including the rail line on the replacing bridge or putting the future dates.
- Explains that the tappan zee bridge would cost about $6.4 billion and the bridge replacement project cost estimated $5.2 billion. the government estimates adding new services could cost approximately $5 billion for busses and similarly for the rail.
- Explains that the state wants to replace the arch or cable-stayed bridge because of seven narrow lanes, increasing maintenance costs, and no safety shoulders.
- Explains that hudson river bridge constructors, kiewit-skaska-weeks, tappan zee bridge partners, thruway authority announced the winning design build contractor in september.
- Explains that the bridge was built on the cheap in the 1950's. its cost was less than $81 million because it was applied as a truss design.
- Explains that there were two options for the replacement of the bridge: short span option and demolition of tappan zee bridge.
- Explains that environmental performance commitments will be on work during construction of the project. the goal is minimizing discharged sediment into river, following water quality parameters, and reduction of detrimental effects.
- Concludes that new york state thruway authority wants to provide for efficient, safe quality, timely completion of the construction project to replace tappan zee bridge.
727 wordsRead More - Bailey Island Bridge Case Studyexplanatory essayThe Bailey Island Bridge is located in Harpswell, Maine on Route 24. Before the making of the bridge, the fishermen that lived on Bailey’s Island wanted a bridge that connected their island to Orr’s Island. The town of Harpsweell made and voted on their decisions in the weekly town meetings (“Bailey”). The project was stalled because of some of the mainlanders in the town, but it was brought back up for discussion in 1912. They first agreed on a “road” which would connect the two islands and would be constructed with timber. This was to cost $3,000. The cost quickly reached $25,000 at a later town meting because they decided to build the bridge with stone and concrete instead. Once the legislature decided to pass a bill stating that it would fun state’s highway and bridge projects, they decided to move forward with the project (Hansen, 36).
In this essay, the author
- Describes the construction of the bailey island bridge in harpswell, maine. the project was stalled because of mainlanders, but it was brought back up for discussion in 1912.
- Explains that the bridge was necessary to the people of harpswell due to weather changes making it impossible for the fishermen and their families to cross from island to island.
- Explains that edwards' design was one of the most unique designs and constructing processes. he had engineered many bridges and rail lines in canada and earned degrees in civil engineering from the university of maine.
- Explains how edwards began to examine will's gut and realized that the ledge was exposed when the tide was low, so he decided to use concrete for the bridge.
- Explains the construction process of the bridge, which was long and gruesome. the contract was signed in 1926, and construction began in 1928.
- Explains that the bridge was constructed and finished with many additions. it was recognized as a historic civil engineering landmark in 1984 and listed on the national register of historic places in 1975.
- Explains that the bridge lasted many years until it was ready for reconstruction to repair parts of it. they placed an 1,000 ft bridge on the side of the cribstone bridge so the traffic could continue during this process.
- Explains that the bridge design is 1,500 feet long and covers 3 acres of water. the heavy and unique tools used to make it also effected the time.
- Explains that the bridge was a huge moneymaker for the people due to the increase of tourism and the advent of the automobile.
- Explains how bailey's island came to be and its first ancestors. the first people to populate the land were the european settlers in the 1600s.
- Explains that the bailey island bridge is the only one of its kind. it can withstand the substantial tides of the area and get them to flow freely through it.
- Explains that tourists love bailey island and the islands around it because it is rich in tales of pirate treasure and adventure.
- Explains that the bailey island bridge changed lives for the people that live in the area. it was a huge cultural monument, but it also changed the economy.
- Opines that the main thing that would've been different about the construcing of the bridge would be the tools to get the granite slabs from their location to the construction site.
1737 wordsRead More - The State of Michiganexplanatory essayMichigan is the only state in the union composed to two separated peninsulas. At the closest point, the upper and lower peninsulas are a mere five miles apart. In the early twentieth century, the only way to make the trip across the five miles of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron was to take a boat ride from one side to the other. As businesses expanded and industry grew, the demand to cross the lakes for travel and commerce purposes grew. The only way to cross the lake was by means of a ferry service, which was unable to keep up with consumer demand. Michigan residents were unable to get convenient and frequent transport between the peninsulas. They needed a consistent, fast, and safe way to travel freely from the mainland to the upper-peninsula. In response, the construction of a five-mile-long suspension bridge to link the peninsulas was set into action. The construction of the Mackinac Bridge was greatly significant to the national economy, the field of engineering, the efficiency of travel, and the historic symbolism of the state of Michigan.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that michigan is the only state in the union composed of two separate peninsulas. the construction of the mackinac bridge was significant to the national economy, engineering, and the efficiency of travel.
- Explains that the mackinac bridge was financed by the public works administration (pwa) under president franklin d. roosevelt's new deal economic plan.
- Explains how the mackinac bridge authority (mba) decided to finance the bridge using private bonds.
- Explains that the mackinac bridge has proved worthy of economic gain, but it has also satisfied the need for transportation across the straits.
- Explains that the mackinac bridge reduced the crossing time to ten minutes and increased the number of people that could commute between the peninsulas daily.
- Explains that the mackinac bridge was the best solution for passage across the straits. the cavernous rock at the bottom of the straits collapsed in the 1930s.
- Analyzes how david steinman designed the mackinac bridge, which was the third longest suspension bridge in the world.
- Explains that the mackinac bridge is a symbol of michigan and represents the ingenuity and hard work of its residents.
- Describes how the mackinac bridge has become a tourist attraction since the connection of the peninsulas.
2254 wordsRead More - Essay On The Ambassador Bridgeexplanatory essayFollowing the American Civil War, the use of railroads for trade was booming. The Detroit, Michigan and Windsor Ontario border, separated by the Detroit River, was a center for railroads at the time with the Michigan Central and Great Western railroads operating on their respective sides of the border. In the early 20th century, the railroads used ferries to transport shipments across the river. As production and population grew, so did the shipments of goods, specifically grain. An increasing delay in the supply and demand of agricultural products was hurting the economy for both farmers and consumers. In 1909, a tunnel was constructed to transport trains under the Detroit River but the need for a bridge with mass transportation abilities was still needed. This led to the construction of the Ambassador Bridge in 1929, funded by financier Joseph Bower and engineered and constructed by the heralded Pittsburgh McClintic-Marshall Company. No one could have ever foreseen the societal and economical impact the decision to engineer a bridge would have.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the detroit, michigan and windsor ontario border was a center for railroads during the american civil war.
- Describes the ambassador bridge as the largest spanned suspension bridge at 564 meters until the george washington bridge was built.
- Explains that congestion and traffic delays at the detroit-windsor border have been a problem in recent years due to commuters and trade.
- Explains that matty moroun is the biggest force of opposition behind the proposal for a new bridge. the bridge is expected to create thousands of new jobs and continue the economic prosperity of the two countries.
- Opines that while the ambassador bridge plays a positive role in the daily socio-economic interactions between the united states and canada, there are negative consequences to the existence of the bridge.
904 wordsRead More - The Other Side of the Bridgeanalytical essayIn the novel, The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson, the author capitalizes upon society’s expectation of a character to emphasize the struggle to achieving his goals. Ian, one of the central characters in the plot line, is heavily impacted by these expectations, which hold a substantial influence upon his decision’s regarding his future. To teenagers an expectation: a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future, is nothing but a restriction upon them. Ian believes he is contained within these expectations; to the point where he does not wish to follow this given path. In a time of adolescence, teenagers are compelled by the strong desire to denounce that which is expected of them; Ian is no exception to this. Societies expectations create a negative influence upon Ian’s struggles to achieve his goals. These effects are due to the following expectations: to leave Struan for a superior education, to obtain the opportunity to become successful; to strive for a medical career, since he excels at the trade already; and to settle into a happy relationship, to raise a family.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how capitalizes upon society's expectation of a character to emphasize the struggle to achieving his goals.
- Analyzes how society's expectation of ian to strive for superior education in a big city negatively impacts his struggle to achieve his goals.
- Explains that being the only doctor in a huge area, on call 24/7, handling every emergency, the nearest hospital hours away, took at least as much skill. ian's father was important to the people up here.
- Analyzes how ian is steadfast in his position about struan; he believes that being a doctor in the town is satisfactory to his skills, whereas his father is more capable.
- Analyzes how the expectation of ian to become a doctor affects his struggles to achieve his goals. the influence of family on one's decisions is unparalleled.
- Analyzes how ian doesn't want to be condemned to a fate that was decided by anyone other than himself. the burden of his expectations based on his family are restrictions to his alternatives in the future
- Analyzes how ian smiled at mrs. aaronovitch in commiseration. he shook down the thermometer and said to the child, "i'll get you a drink and then you and your mum can go home."
- Analyzes how the novel emphasizes ian's profound skill at handling a medical environment, contrasted to what getting the measles is like in actuality.
- Analyzes how the expectation placed on ian by society to settle into a relationship makes his struggle to achieve his goals more difficult.
- Analyzes how mary lawson's novel, the other side of the bridge, accentuates the fact that society’s expectations of a character causes negative impacts upon their lives.
- Explains lawson, mary, the other side of the bridge, vintage canada, toronto, 2007.
1949 wordsRead More - Brooklyn Bridge Essayexplanatory essayOver the East River in New York City stands the Brooklyn Bridge, connecting the Brooklyn and Manhattan boroughs. From end to end, the bridge spans 6,016 feet and weighs a heavy 14,680 tons. Ever since construction on the Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883, the bridge has offered a safe route with scenic views to tens of thousands of tourists and commuters who have traveled it via train, car, pushcart, and bicycle. The history behind the Brooklyn Bridge is definitely intriguing as well as important because many fatalities occurred in the construction process, including one which occurred before construction on the bridge even started. Also, a lot of workers, time and money were used in building the bridge. In addition,
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the brooklyn bridge is a safe route with scenic views to tens of thousands of tourists and commuters who travel it via train, car, pushcart, and bicycle.
- Explains that the german-born engineer john augustus roebling was the creator of the brooklyn bridge, and for a short period, its chief engineer.
- Describes the challenges faced by the workers who excavated the riverbed, such as caisson disease, which plagued over 100 workers, including chief engineer washington roebling, who contracted the disease while working on the bridge.
- Describes the obstacles and accidents that took place during the construction of the brooklyn bridge.
- Describes how p. t. barnum and 21 of his elephants walked across the brooklyn bridge and showed everyone that it was stable. people can now drive, walk, or ride bikes to travel on the bridge.
- Explains that the brooklyn bridge has been of great value to the people of america who travel from manhattan to brooklyn and vice versa.
831 wordsRead More - Before the Tacoma Bridge collapse in 1940, suspension bridges were not as common as they are now. Engineers at the time saw them as productive and useful for travel and transportation, but saw them as expensive. In Tacoma, Washington, a decision was made to connect the city of Tacoma to Gig Harbor, which was across the vast lake known as Puget Sound (WSDOT). These types of suspension bridges usually had a metal truss running inside the structure, through the length of the bridge that helped to keep the deck of the roadways sturdier. Removing this important piece of metal made the bridge lighter and cut the total cost by $4 million (HistoryLink.org). This caused the Tacoma Bridge to have less resistance towards the wind. During the time that the bridge was upright and handling traffic, it was constantly oscillating. The oscillation was minimal, but enough to...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that suspension bridges were important before 1940 and are still important today.
- Explains that suspension bridges were expensive before the tacoma bridge collapsed in 1940. they had a metal truss running inside the structure to keep the roadways sturdier.
- Explains the basic design of the suspension bridges that were built before 1940. piers were the main foundation, towers provided connection for roadways and wires, and anchorages provided tension support.
- Explains that suspension bridges were designed differently after the tacoma bridge collapse of 1940, but some support systems were added to provide a safer and sturdier design.
- Explains that suspension bridges have been aerodynamically designed to handle high-speed winds and other forces of nature since 1950.
- Explains that suspension bridge designs have been adjusted to compensate for any problems the bridge might be challenged with.
- Cites long, priscilla, "historylink,org- free online encyclopedia of washington state history."
- Explains the history of tacoma narrows bridge by mark ketchum.
- Explains that tacoma narrows bridge: lessons from the failure of a great machine. washington state department of transportation.
1042 wordsRead More - The industrial Midwest has been on a decline for the past four decades. Many companies have left Southeastern Michigan to produce goods elsewhere. When these companies moved their operations to other cities, much of the population in the region moved also. These people left to seek job opportunities in other urban areas. When industries and people leave an area, the infrastructure is often left behind. Buildings, land, and infrastructure remain vacant in Detroit +because of this exodus from the region. The framework of the region largely resembles the period before Detroit was incorporated as a city aside from the infrastructure that has been left behind. The availability of existing infrastructure coupled with the new capabilities of the Halifax Port in Nova Scotia Canada, offers Detroit the opportunity to transform the region into an international shipping hub. The Great Lakes Global Freight Gateway Project is a program that will utilize these vacant assets to create an inland port in Detroit and to promote global trade from the Midwest (GLFG3, 3:33/8:46). This essay is going to show how the Great Lakes Global Freight Gateway Project can restore economic vitality to the region and provide growth opportunities for all stakeholders.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the industrial midwest has been on a decline for the past four decades. many companies have left southeastern michigan to produce goods elsewhere.
- Opines that repositioning detroit from a manufacturing only industry can open new revenue possibilities for stakeholders in the region.
- Opines that the great lakes global freight gateway project can promote growth by reutilizing the same regional assets that were available in the past for new purposes.
- Analyzes how the rapid growth of the manufacturing industry translates into rapid population growth.
- Explains that creative destruction is the minor pains that one industry suffers because of the greater gains of a replacement industry. globalization and the service industry have wreaked havoc on the manufacturing based economy of detroit.
- Explains that the detroit region is the median location for midwestern manufacturing inputs and outputs that are bound for worldwide markets. the great lakes global freight gateway will provide manufacturers from the midwest the opportunity to move products faster and cheaper.
- Explains that detroit is an agglomeration economy with strong input-output relations and repositioning of the city. however, this transformation can only happen by using the infrastructure in its intended role.
- Explains that the port of halifax is the only port in north america capable of handling the new maersk triple e container ships.
- Opines that the great lakes global freight gateway can take advantage of the underutilized assets in the detroit region to the benefit of all stakeholders.
- Cites mcdonald, mcmillen, and sase, j. f. (2011). urban economics and real estate: theory and policy.
- Explains sase, j. f. (producer) (2011). early villages that became detroit-part 2.
1481 wordsRead More - Brooklyn Bridgeexplanatory essayAccording to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a bridge is a structure carrying a pathway or roadway over a depression or obstacle. There are many different types of bridges that have been built all over the world. Like the dictionary definition says, these bridges provide a passage over an obstacle, such as water, road, or valley, but others serve other purposes that can solve different situations. There are so many diverse designs of bridges that have been built all over the world.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the brooklyn bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the united states.
- Describes new world encyclopedia contributors' "brooklyn bridge".
- Explains the merriam-webster dictionary definition of a bridge. they chose the brooklyn bridge because of its amazing structure and unique history.
- Explains that the brooklyn bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. roebling designed a bridge and truss system that was six times stronger than it needed to be
650 wordsRead More