General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge
| General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge | |
|---|---|
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| Official name | General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge |
| Other name(s) | "Dolly Parton" Bridge |
| Carries | 4 lanes of Interstate 65 |
| Crosses | Mobile-Tensaw River delta |
| Locale | Mobile County / Baldwin County, near Mobile, Alabama |
| Opened | 1978 |
The General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge consists of two parallel tied arch bridges and adjoining concrete viaduct bridges that carry 4 lanes of Interstate 65 across the Mobile-Tensaw River delta northeast of the U.S. city of Mobile, Alabama. It was named in honor of Walter K. Wilson, a Chief of Engineers with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and long-term resident of Mobile.[1] He was credited with being one of the first people recognizing the need to construct a high-level bridge on Interstate 65 over the Mobile River because of anticipated waterway development. The state of Alabama named the bridge in his honor after completion of construction in 1978.[2]
[edit] Dolly Parton Bridge
The bridge has red warning lights atop the parallel support arches. These, and the shape of the supporting arches when approached from certain directions, have caused the bridge to gain the nickname "The Dolly Parton Bridge", for reasons which should be obvious to the observer.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ "Naming to the Point of Meaninglessness". "The World Around You". http://www.theworldaroundyou.com/2004/07/27/naming_to_the_point_of_meaninglessness/. Retrieved 2007-12-28.
- ^ "Walter K. Wilson, Jr.". "United States Army Corps of Engineers". http://www.theworldaroundyou.com/2004/07/27/naming_to_the_point_of_meaninglessness/. Retrieved 2007-12-28.
- ^ Burch, Jamie (23 July 2009). "Wreck Shuts Down S.B. I-65 At "Dolly Parton" Bridge". WKRG-TV. http://www.wkrg.com/alabama/article/s.b.-i-65-closed-at-dolly-parton-bridge/203966/Jul-23-2009_2-58-pm/. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
Coordinates: 30°54′51″N 87°57′48″W / 30.91427°N 87.96345°W
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