New Britain herald., 1928-11-02
HIGHEST BRIDGE IN WHOLE WORLD Bdls Bllt Across Canyon in
 AriloBl

Phoenix. Ariz.. Nov. ? R,-Replac- ing the ancient ferry that has served northern Arizona and southern Utah dwellers since white men first began to travel the uncharted area of the Painted Desert the Lees Ferry bridge. highest structure of it's kind in the world. is to be formally put into use with elaborate dedication ceremonies next June. The bridge will open up g great expanse of country and eventually result in direct mountain states automobile route from Canada to Mexico.
 Located at the upper reaches of the Grand Canyon in the wild. un- settled portion of northern Arizona, the bridge will provide for the first time . handy route of transportation between Arizona and Utah. It will be the only bridge crossing the Col orado river in Arizona north of To- pac, near Needles, Cal, and will pro- vide an easy way for tourists to reach Bryce Canyon. Zion National Park. and Rainbow Natural Bridge. in southern Utah: the north rim of the Grand Canyon and the great virgin forests in northern Arizona. and for travellers through southern Utah to visit the Painted Desert. south rims of the Grand Canyon. petrified for ests and other natural wonders in Arizona.
 It is expected to open up trade and traffic between Utah and Ari- xona, neighboring states that have been separated by the great cleft known as one of the seven wonders of the world. It will be a means toward developing commerce and of opening . vast land that is known to hardly anybody except the Hopi lndians. who roam the desert
 The three hinged. steel arch bridge. considered by engineers to be more rigid than the suspension typo. Is 467 feet above the stream bed, and its end rests in precipitous cliffs which border the sluggish Col orado river. The span itself is 615 fest long. with the bridge over all being 800 feet long. So far as can bs determined. 1t is the highest au- tomobile bridge in the world.
 Because of the height, engineers encountered difficulty in devising a way to construct the bridge, as there was no way of building false sup ports from the bottom of the can- yon. The cantilever plan was em- ployed and the supports were con- structed in the granite walls. As the bridge was built out from the wall. first on one side, then on the other side of the river. toggle joints were used to extend the huge steel beams until tho two sections met in the cen- ter and were joined.
 It was the first time. 50 far as en- gineers connected with the Arizona state highway department could as- certain. that a bridge was construct ed in that manner.
 Material had to be trucked 1855 miles over . seldom travelled desert road to the site. Some of the steel sections used in the construction were 5s feet long and weighed fl tons. These had to be hauled by truck and trailer.
 Planse are being made for ded- ication celebration in which the governors and other officials of Ari- sena, California. Utah. Nevada, Colo rado and New Mexico are expected te join.
 Tho Arizona Highway department plans to make an appropriation next year for the construction of new road from Flagstaff to the bridge and on to the Utah line. to provide . good means of transportation be- tween the two states. and to com