We’ve recently returned from a visit with our son, Jon and his family in Castlegar, British Columbia. While I was there, I was able to get a few photographs, including the subjects of this post, a couple of bridges among the many in the area. Castlegar is located at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers, creating the need for a number of bridges to travel among different areas of the community.
Today’s post features the Brilliant Bridge and the Brilliant Suspension Bridge, seemingly named for the nearby community of Brilliant.
The Brilliant Bridge, below spans the Kootenay River, a short distance upstream from where it joins the Columbia. This structure is an arch bridge, shaped as a curved arch supported by abutments at each end. This bridge conveys Highway 3A, the road to nearby Nelson B.C. across the Kootenay.
This photograph shows the Brilliant Suspension Bridge, located just upstream of the Brilliant Bridge, also crossing the Kootenay River. A suspension bridge has its roadway suspended from two or more cables usually passing over towers and securely anchored at the ends.
The Brilliant Suspension Bridge was built by the local Doukhobor community in 1913 and was used until 1966, when the newer, Brilliant Bridge was constructed. The historic bridge was saved from demolition in the 1970’s and in 1991 a working group was formed to explore the possibility of restoring the bridge. The bridge was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995. Today it serves as a pedestrian bridge and is part of the Trans Canada Trail.
I captured this close-up of one of the vertical bars connecting the bridge’s deck to the supporting cables suspended from the concrete towers at each end of the bridge. You can also see the structural webbing added to brace the support hanging from the cables. These webs are made from silk, a natural fibre. Not only does the silk combine the useful properties of high tensile strength and extensibility, it is also aesthetically pleasing. This innovative material was manufactured and installed by a local firm, Arachnid Engineering.
I captured this next photograph of the Brilliant Bridge’s supporting structure from the river bank.
Jon and I crossed the bridge, leading to the trail on the opposite side. It was unclear where that trail was leading so we went no further.
Here’s a view up that trail, a pleasant scene in itself.
Perhaps I’ll have an opportunity to explore and photograph some of Castlegar’s many other bridges on a future visit.