Recent data suggest that half, if not more, of our nations historic spans have been lost in the last 22 yearstwo decades in which transportation and preservation awareness reached unprecedented levels. This is an alarming and sobering statistic.
Bridge building paced the evolution of building technology but had a much more enduring impact on engineering, manufacturing and the settlement of the U.S. Surviving bridges are tangible evidence of this legacy but we are fast approaching the point of no return in saving some prime examples.