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328:. The bridge has a total length of 1,654 m (5,425 ft) in 14 spans, abutment to abutment. The main span measures 344 m (1,129 ft) and the tied arch (the center part of the main span) is 259 m (850 ft). The highest point of the bridge is 117 m (384 ft) above mean sea level; the clearance under the main span is 61.3 m (201 ft) at high tide. Ships must cross under this bridge when traversing the Panama Canal, and are subject to this height restriction. The world's largest cruise ships,
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317:. The Bridge of the Americas greatly increases road traffic capacity across the Canal. Two earlier bridges cross the Canal, but they use moveable designs and have limited traffic capacity. These earlier spans include a small swinging road bridge, built into the lock structure at GatĂşn, and a swinging road/rail bridge constructed in 1942 at Miraflores. The Centennial Bridge was constructed to eliminate the bottleneck of, and reduce traffic congestion on, the Bridge of the Americas.
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447:, after which those present were allowed to walk across the bridge. The ceremony was given full nationwide coverage on radio and television; significant precautions were taken to manage the large crowds of people present. These proved inadequate, however, and pro-Panamanian protesters disrupted the ceremony, even removing the memorial plaques on the bridge.
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said in his speech: "we can look today to this bridge as a new and bright step toward the realization of that dream of a Pan-American
Highway, which is now almost a reality. The grand bridge we inaugurate today — truly a bridge of the Americas — completes the last stage of the highway from the United
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Panamanian government officials shall reject any document in which reference is made to the bridge by any name other than "Bridge of the
Americas". A copy of this resolution, with the appropriate note on style, shall be forwarded to all legislative bodies of the world, so that all may give the bridge
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The bridge was originally named "Thatcher Ferry Bridge", after the original ferry which crossed the canal at about the same point. The ferry was, in turn, named after
Maurice H. Thatcher, a former member of the Canal Commission, who introduced the legislation which created the ferry. Thatcher cut the
406:
On June 3, 1942, a road/rail swing bridge was inaugurated at the
Miraflores locks; although only usable when no ships were passing, this provided some relief for traffic wishing to cross the canal. Still, it was clear that a more substantial solution would be required. To meet the growing needs of
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struck one of the protective bases of the bridge after losing engine power, partially blocking that section of the canal to shipping traffic. The bridge did not receive damage and there were no fatalities. In
December 2010, the Centennial Bridge access road collapsed in a mudslide, and commercial
435:
A contract worth $ 20,000,000 was awarded to John F. Beasly & Company who built the bridge out of steel and reinforced concrete, and the project was initiated in a ceremony which took place on
December 23, 1958, in the presence of United States Ambassador Julian Harrington, and Panamanian
356:, but they are too tall to pass under the Bridge of the Americas, even at low tide, unless the Bridge of the Americas is either raised or replaced in the future. (The Centennial Bridge is also a fixed obstacle, but its clearance is much higher: 80.0 m (262 ft).)
467:, and carried around 9,500 vehicles per day; however, this expanded over time, and by 2004 the bridge was carrying 35,000 vehicles per day. The bridge therefore became a significant bottleneck on the highway, which led to the construction of the
427:
The idea of a permanent bridge over the canal had been proposed as a major priority as early as 1923. Subsequent administrations of Panama pressed this issue with the United States, which controlled the Canal Zone; and in 1955 the
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the name chosen by this honorable assembly, complying with the express will of the
Panamanian people. Given in the city of Panama on the second day of the month of October of nineteen hundred and sixty-two.
395:, in the west of Panama, increased the need for some kind of crossing. The Panama Canal Mechanical Division addressed this in August 1931, with the commissioning of two new ferries, the
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would be split from the rest of the republic by the new canal. This was an issue even during construction, when barges were used to ferry construction workers across the canal.
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The name was unpopular with the government of Panama, however, which preferred the name "Bridge of the
Americas". The Panamanian view was made official by a resolution of the
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During the inauguration ceremony (which was concluded with the playing of the "Thatcher Ferry Bridge March"), U.S. Under
Secretary of State
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The bridge over the Panama Canal shall bear the name Bridge of the
Americas. Said name will be used exclusively to identify said bridge.
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Nonetheless, the official name of the bridge became the "Thatcher Ferry Bridge" and remained so until Panamanian control in 1979.
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The inauguration of the bridge took place on October 12, 1962, with great ceremony. The ribbon was cut by
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From the beginning of the French project to construct a canal, it was recognised that the cities of
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The bridge has wide access ramps at each end, and pedestrian walkways on each side.
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they are well known for an error on one sheet where the bridge is missing.
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20 million. From its completion in 1962 until the opening of the parallel
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Road bridge in Panama spanning the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal
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608:. National Steel Bridge Alliance. pp. 20, 24. Archived from
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Four lanes of Carretera Panama-Arraijan, pedestrians and bicycles
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were issued with the name "Thatcher Ferry Bridge". In the
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in 2004, the Bridge of the Americas was a key part of the
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on October 2, 1962, ten days before the inauguration.
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19:
For the bridge between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, see
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When opened, the bridge was an important part of the
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traffic was diverted to the Bridge of The Americas.
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Postage stamps and postal history of the Canal Zone
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postage stamps and postal history of the Canal Zone
432:committed the United States to building a bridge.
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1131:United States District Court for the Canal Zone
21:Bridge of the Americas (El Paso–Ciudad Juárez)
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255:land masses (hence its name), connecting the
301:. It was built between 1959 and 1962 by the
251:20 million, connecting the north and south
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722:Aerial view of the Bridge from Google Maps
715:Inauguration Of The Bridge Of The Americas
259:. Two other bridges cross the canal: the
497:tape at the inauguration of the bridge.
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247:, it was completed in 1962 at a cost of
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285:The Bridge of the Americas crosses the
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324:design where the suspended span is a
633:"Open Deck Ferry Is Unusually Roomy"
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407:vehicle traffic, another ferry, the
702:, summary information from CZ Brats
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1254:PSA Panama International Terminal
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710:, pictures from bridgemeister.com
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507:The resolution read as follows:
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990:New Panamax / Post-Panamax
459:Bridge of the Americas at night
892:Enrique Adolfo Jiménez Airport
740:Bridge of the Americas, Panama
649:"Panama Canal Zone – CZPolice"
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603:"World's Longest Bridge Spans"
601:Durkee, Jackson (1999-05-24).
423:View of Bridge of the Americas
411:, was added in November 1942.
376:Puente de Las Americas, Panama
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1:
1397:1962 establishments in Panama
1136:1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties
1071:1903 Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty
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555:Crossings of the Panama Canal
438:Ernesto de la Guardia Navarro
522:Secretary, Alberto Arango N.
519:President, Jorge Rubén Rosas
352:will fit within the canal's
170:61.3 m (201 ft) at high tide
136:John F. Beasly & Company
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1076:1921 Thomson–Urrutia Treaty
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491:Commemorative Issue of 1962
480:The "Thatcher Ferry Bridge"
263:at the Gatun locks and the
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227:; originally known as the
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635:bottom page 34 July 1935
577:List of bridges in Panama
488:Thatcher Ferry Bridge, 4c
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699:The Building Of A Bridge
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1030:William Nelson Cromwell
637:Popular Science Monthly
430:RemĂłn-Eisenhower treaty
1035:David du Bose Gaillard
1015:Philippe Bunau-Varilla
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791:Panama Canal Authority
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684:Bridge of the Americas
672:Bridge of the Americas
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231:) is a road bridge in
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116:Puente de las Américas
30:Bridge of the Americas
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368:The need for a bridge
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245:Sverdrup & Parcel
229:Thatcher Ferry Bridge
1357:Through arch bridges
1328:8.94306°N 79.56500°W
1275:Balboa Naval Station
1050:Ferdinand de Lesseps
1020:Ephraim S. Claybourn
849:Panama Canal Railway
742:at Wikimedia Commons
718:, from AlonsoRoy.com
561:Pan-American Highway
465:Pan-American Highway
401:President Washington
349:Symphony of the Seas
315:Pan-American Highway
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1092:Panama Canal Museum
532:States to Panama".
529:George Wildman Ball
445:Maurice H. Thatcher
343:Harmony of the Seas
133:through arch bridge
64: /
1392:Cantilever bridges
1333:8.94306; -79.56500
1291:Balboa High School
1055:John Frank Stevens
690:2006-06-21 at the
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415:The bridge project
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337:Allure of the Seas
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257:American Continent
144:1,654 m (5,425 ft)
1387:Tied arch bridges
1362:Bridges in Panama
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567:Centennial Bridge
502:National Assembly
469:Centennial Bridge
451:Post-construction
409:Presidente Porras
397:Presidente Amador
331:Oasis of the Seas
311:Centennial Bridge
265:Centennial Bridge
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68:8.9431°N 79.565°W
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183:October 12, 1962
160:344 m (1,128 ft)
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157:Longest span
141:Total length
97:Panama Canal
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1167:Albrook AFB
1149:US military
1083:(1904–1906)
958:Panama City
925:Culebra Cut
897:BahĂa LimĂłn
834:Culebra Cut
299:Panama City
271:Description
71: /
46:Coordinates
1346:Categories
1319:79°33′54″W
1208:De Lesseps
1177:Howard AFB
920:Gatun Lake
824:Gatun Lake
800:Structures
784:Management
677:Structurae
659:2008-03-16
619:2008-06-21
583:References
436:President
322:cantilever
188:Statistics
59:79°33′54″W
1316:8°56′35″N
1284:Education
1249:Coco Solo
1160:Airfields
972:Expansion
882:Arco Iris
863:Locations
819:Gatun Dam
326:tied arch
56:8°56′35″N
1228:Randolph
688:Archived
549:See also
393:ChiriquĂ
346:and the
253:American
203:Location
1233:Sherman
1198:Clayton
1000:History
913:Passage
812:Panamax
363:History
297:, near
287:Pacific
237:Pacific
219:Spanish
175:History
92:Crosses
84:Carries
1218:Gulick
1193:Amador
1147:Former
1098:Box 25
1008:People
953:Gamboa
941:Balboa
386:Panamá
295:Balboa
233:Panama
180:Opened
126:Design
103:Locale
1263:Radio
1242:Ports
1223:Kobbe
1213:Grant
1203:Davis
1186:Forts
904:GatĂşn
877:ColĂłn
807:Locks
613:(PDF)
606:(PDF)
382:ColĂłn
149:Width
130:Steel
565:The
559:The
399:and
384:and
307:US$
249:US$
213:The
674:at
293:at
1348::
591:^
340:,
334:,
267:.
221::
769:e
762:t
755:v
662:.
622:.
217:(
23:.
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