Chain Bridge, Road bridge in Washington D.C., United States.
The steel girder bridge spans across the Potomac River at Little Falls, connecting Washington D.C. with Arlington and Fairfax counties in Virginia.
The first bridge at this location opened in 1797 as a wooden structure, followed by multiple replacements including chain suspension designs until 1939.
During the Civil War, the bridge served as a strategic crossing point where Union Army conducted the first military balloon crossing in October 1861.
The bridge carries three lanes of traffic with a reversible center lane and includes a pedestrian sidewalk connecting to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath.
The current bridge maintains its historical name despite having no chains, and carries water mains that supply Arlington County through the Washington Aqueduct system.
Location: Washington, D.C.
Inception: 1936
GPS coordinates: 38.93000,-77.11440
Latest update: September 23, 2025 16:45
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