Day 2: Crossing over
Bridges truly are important pieces of engineering that are easy to take for granted. There are of course famous examples like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and the Tower Bridge in London, but all bridges are amazing in their own way, and all of them serve the same crucial purpose. What would our world look like without them, and how have they shaped our way of living? Let’s take a look together.
Watch your step!
Bridges have been part of life for thousands of years, and with good reason. Anyone who grew up in areas with lots of water, and particularly rivers, can tell you how annoying it can be to have to travel for who knows how long just to get to a river crossing. This problem has kept humanity busy since ancient times. The oldest surviving ruins that can attest to this are the ones in Tello, or, as it used to be called, Girsu. More than 4.000 years ago, in the 3rd millenium B.C. the people of Girsu were already fighting the water for a way to get across. The oldest still standing bridge is a lot younger, but still a respectable 3.000 years old. It was built somewhere between 1.300 and 1.150 B.C. in Greece. Look, it’s not exactly the Brooklyn bridge, but it’s impressive that it managed to survive for so long, and it’s a true testament to human ingenuity and determination!
To battle!
Sometimes it’s great to just go from a to be without having to bring a change of clothing, but there have been moments in history where bridges were deliberately destroyed to make it impossible for advancing enemies to cross rivers. During the second world war German troops invaded the Netherlands from the east. To advance further west they had to cross rivers, notably the Waal river by Nijmegen. To slow down the German advance the Dutch engineers decided to deliberately destroy the bridge over the river to ensure the Germans couldn’t advance. This wouldn’t be the only time bridges formed crucial chokepoints during times of war. Throughout the ages gaining or losing control over a bridge could mean the difference between winning or losing a battle. This is why even today pontoon bridges are such a crucial part of a military’s arsenal. Being able to cross bridges both to advance soldiers, and to ensure the safety and transport of civilians and goods is of the utmost importance in times of crisis.
Wanna trade?
Bridges aren’t just the scene of tragedies, far from it! Most often bridges are used for their intended purpose, to connect. Since ancient times the main reason for bridges was to get from A to B faster, but more importantly for the people of point A to get to the people of point B at all. This paved the way for prosperous trade routes to develop, and for existing one to increase their potential. Some noticeable examples are Øresund-bridge between Denmark and Sweden, and the Ambassador bridge between the United States and Canada. Starting with the Øresund-bridge, it has greatly enhanced travel possibilities between Denmark and Sweden, and massively increased traffic and trade between the countries. It was an enormous project, costing around €4 billion to complete, but according to a 2012 paper from the Øresund intitute it has already generated over €8 billion, not bad! The Ambassador bridge between the US and Canada is another big one, with 25% of all traded merchandise between the two countries by value relying on this piece of engineering. On top of the wealthy being transported in the form of goods, over 150.000 jobs rely on the bridge over the Detroid River.
Bridges for the people
It’s easy to take for granted how connected we are in the developed part of the world. We can reach places with ease, and other people and goods can reach us. Even when I was in high school there were kids in my class from the “other side of the river” that went to my high school and were able to do so because of a bridge. But not all places on earth are that connected. Many people live in isolated villages and rarely venture out of their communities, and they can’t rely on a steady supply or a wide selection of goods. There are however charities and civil movements that work on increasing accessibility and creating opportunities by helping to build bridges in these remote areas. One example is Bridges to Prosperity, which has already ensured over 500 bridges to be built, helping millions of people all over the world. The newfound access to things we don’t even think about most days like schools, healthcare, and sources of food and water make a gigantic difference in the lives of the communities that were isolated before.
Seeing the sights
So, we established that bridges are important for a multitude of reasons, and contribute to our lives in many different ways. Besides these practical implementations however, there’s also a certain beauty about them. Many cities pride themselves on their own beautiful, historical, and important bridges. I personally had the privilege to cross the Øresund bridge and it really is a spectacular experience. It shows just what humanity is capable of, and how much we value connectivity. Another beautiful bridge I’ve had the pleasure of visiting is the Charles Bridge in Prague, which is dotted with street artists, painters and many tourists. It is a gorgeous and historical piece of art that people from all over the world come to see. But let’s not overlook and underappreciate the small and the unnamed. Every crossing is special, even just an overturned tree that gives access to the other side of a creek can feel just as welcome and even entice a sense of adventure. So next time you cross a bridge, say thank you. To the engineers who built it, and the centuries of human development that made it possible. See you on the other side.