Veterans Memorial Centennial Bridge, Interstate bridge in Kootenai County, Idaho, United States.
The Veterans Memorial Centennial Bridge is a segmental concrete box girder bridge designed by HNTB, carrying Interstate 90 over a valley above Bennett Bay, an arm of Lake Coeur d'Alene. It is 1,730 ft (530 m) long and 70 ft (21 m) wide, with four traffic lanes running 300 ft (91 m) above the valley floor.
Construction began in 1988 using a balanced cantilever method that advanced sections at about 16 feet per week. The bridge was completed in 1991 and opened in 1992 as part of the final major project to complete Interstate 90 east of Coeur d'Alene, at a cost of $16 million. It was first named the Bennett Bay Centennial Bridge for Idaho's centennial, then renamed in 1992 to honor the state's military veterans.
The bridge received its name in 1992 to honor military personnel who served during wartime periods as defined by Congress. This naming reflects the site's role as a memorial within the community.
The bridge carries four lanes of Interstate 90, 300 ft (91 m) above the valley floor, so it is crossed by vehicle only; there is no pedestrian path. Drivers reach it on I-90 east of Coeur d'Alene, above Bennett Bay. Views of the structure are best had from below, near the bay shoreline.
The construction used a balanced cantilever method, allowing the structure to be built outward from the shoreline in phases. This technique proved effective for spanning the considerable depth of the bay.
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