Homestead Bridge Photo Gallery

Here is the collection of pictures from my Homestead Bridge feature. This gallery includes a few pictures not included in the main feature, plus more descriptive text. Click on any of the thumbnails to see the larger image; click on the "Back" button of your browser to return to the gallery.

	This is the view east down Pueblo Canyon from the Pueblo Canyon Bridge. Note the steep walls and stream at the bottom. The canyon is close to 200 feet deep at this point. The sky is actually deep blue, but it washed out in most of the photos.
	The Pueblo Canyon Bridge, looking southeast from the north side of the canyon. The concrete support is 100 feet from the north end of the bridge and 40 feet from the south end.
	The Pueblo Canyon Bridge, looking northwest from the north side of the canyon. The other bridge in the background carries a natural gas line across the canyon. The Jemez Mountains are just visible in the background; the leftmost peak (mostly obscured by trees) is the Pajarito Ski Area. The sky is a bit closer to its actual color in this view.
	The Homestead Bridge, looking northwest from the north side of the canyon. The canyon here is only 10--20 feet deep, and it was possible to cross by foot before the bridge was built (though not easily).
	The Homestead Bridge, looking northwest from the north side of the canyon. Although shallow, the canyon is overgrown with weeds and brush. Note the lateral base beams and outriggers.
	A closeup of the upper end of the bridge. The large I-beam (formed by two channels) is identical to the lower main beam. The upper horizontal rail is formed of a square tube covered by a channel. The lower horizontal rails are formed of channels with the open side facing inwards.
	The center splice plate. The plate itself is also an Extren extrusion. A similar plate is on the other side. The splice was necessary because the bridge spans 54 feet, and the maximum length that can be shipped is 48 feet.
	A closeup of a couple of joints in the rails. The large fasteners in the upper beam connect through the vertical and diagonal rails. The topmost horizontal rail has a simple butt joint at this point. It's hard to se in the picture, but the square tube is also butt jointed at this location.
	The underside of the bridge. The lateral beam is an I-beam sandwich, just like the main beams. The vertical rail descends through the main beam and is sandwiched between the two members of the lateral beam.
	A slightly closer view of the outriggers. The upper main beam is under compression, especially when the bridge is loaded with snow. The outriggers provide lateral stability, at the cost of making the bridge look wider. The lateral beams are extended to hold the outriggers, and the outriggers are fastened at the base with only a single fastener.
	The outriggers are spliced to the vertical rails just below the upper main beams. THe joint is similar to the center splice joint.
	The bridge is supported by a concrete footing and attached to it with an angle bracket. The concrete footings were poured in place after the Homestead Bridge was still built but while it was still supported by a temporary bridge.