Somber anniversary puts spotlight on bridge safety
Federal state and local officials gathered last week in Point Pleasant, West Virginia to commemorate a tragedy. Fifty years ago, during rush hour on Dec. 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge connecting Ohio and West Virginia collapsed into the Ohio River, sending 46 people to their death.
Investigators later determined that the incident was caused by a crack in an eyebar in the bridge’s suspension chain. The tragic event brought nationwide attention to the issue of bridge safety and led to a systematic effort by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) known as the National Bridge Inspection Program.