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Coordinates: 40°35′32″N 122°22′39″W / 40.59222°N 122.37750°W / 40.59222; -122.37750
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{{short description|Bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava in Redding, California, USA}}
{{Short description|Bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava in Redding, California, USA}}
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{{Infobox bridge
{{Infobox bridge
| image = Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay.jpg
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The '''Sundial Bridge''' (also known as the '''Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay''') is a [[cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge]] for bicycles and pedestrians that spans the [[Sacramento River]] in [[Redding, California]], [[United States]] and forms a large [[sundial]]. It was designed by [[Santiago Calatrava]] and completed in 2004 at a cost of US$23.5 million. The bridge has become iconic for Redding.<ref name=Calvan2004>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/04/05/bridge_unites_parkland_divides_town/ |title=Bridge unites parkland, divides town: Some see path to future, others a misguided mess |last=Calvan |first=Bobby Caina |date=April 5, 2004 |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |publisher=The New York Times Company |accessdate=March 18, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://shastacascade.com/showrecord.asp?id=2048 |title=Sundial Bridge—California's Newest Icon |year=2007 |work=ShastaCascade.com |publisher=Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association |accessdate=March 18, 2010}}</ref>
The '''Sundial Bridge''' (also known as the '''Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay''') is a [[cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge]] for bicycles and pedestrians that spans the [[Sacramento River]] in [[Redding, California]], United States and forms a large [[sundial]]. It was designed by [[Santiago Calatrava]] and completed in 2004 at a cost of US$23.5 million. The bridge has become iconic for Redding.<ref name=Calvan2004>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/04/05/bridge_unites_parkland_divides_town/ |title=Bridge unites parkland, divides town: Some see path to future, others a misguided mess |last=Calvan |first=Bobby Caina |date=April 5, 2004 |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |publisher=The New York Times Company |access-date=March 18, 2010}}{{dead link|date=August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://shastacascade.com/showrecord.asp?id=2048 |title=Sundial Bridge—California's Newest Icon |year=2007 |work=ShastaCascade.com |publisher=Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association |access-date=March 18, 2010 |archive-date=March 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310052115/http://shastacascade.com/showrecord.asp?id=2048 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


== Location ==
== Description ==
The Sundial Bridge provides pedestrian access to the north and south areas of [[Turtle Bay Exploration Park]], a complex containing environmental, art and history museums and the McConnell Arboretum and Gardens. It also forms the gateway to the Sacramento River Trail,<ref name="wp" /> a {{Convert|35|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} trail completed in 2010 that extends along both sides of the river and connects the bridge to the [[Shasta Dam]].<ref>{{citation|title=Finished trail is 35 miles of pure heaven|publisher=Recordnet|first=Peter|last=Ottesen|date=June 2, 2010|url=http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100602/A_SPORTS03/6020326}}.</ref> Drift boats of fishermen are often seen passing beneath the bridge as they fish for salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout.<ref name="bee05">{{citation|title=Tourists lured by Redding bridge|journal=[[Sacramento Bee]]|date=October 5, 2005}}.</ref> In the distance, [[Mount Shasta]] is barely visible. Shasta Bally is visible to the West looking upstream the Sacramento.
The Sundial Bridge provides pedestrian access to the north and south areas of [[Turtle Bay Exploration Park]], a complex containing environmental, art and history museums and the McConnell Arboretum and Gardens. It also forms the gateway to the Sacramento River Trail,<ref name="wp" /> a {{Convert|35|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} trail completed in 2010 that extends along both sides of the river and connects the bridge to the [[Shasta Dam]].<ref>{{citation|title=Finished trail is 35 miles of pure heaven|publisher=Recordnet|first=Peter|last=Ottesen|date=June 2, 2010|url=http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100602/A_SPORTS03/6020326}}.</ref> Drift boats of fishermen are often seen passing beneath the bridge as they fish for salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout.<ref name="bee05">{{citation|title=Tourists lured by Redding bridge|journal=[[Sacramento Bee]]|date=October 5, 2005}}.</ref> In the distance, [[Mount Shasta]] is barely visible. Shasta Bally is visible to the West looking upstream the Sacramento.
⚫
[[File:Sundial Bridge (8843646383).jpg|thumb|left|Support tower of Sundial Bridge]]

⚫
[[File:Sundial Bridge time marker noon.jpg|thumb|left|150px|One of the markers on the dial of the sundial.]]
⚫
[[File:SundialBridgeCA2.jpg|thumb|left|150px|The support tower of the bridge.]]


== Sundial ==
== Sundial ==
[[File:Sundial Bridge time marker noon.jpg|thumb|150px|One of the markers on the dial of the sundial.]]
The support tower of the bridge forms a single {{Convert|217|ft|m|adj=on}} mast that points due north at a cantilevered angle, allowing it to serve as the [[gnomon]] of a sundial; it has been billed as the world's largest sundial,<ref name="bee01">{{citation|title=Redding is seeking to bridge image gap|journal=[[Sacramento Bee]]|date=July 12, 2001}}.</ref><ref>{{citation|title=California's Seven Wonders: There's no shortage of the spectacular|journal=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=July 26, 2007|first=Janet|last=Fullwood|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07207/803169-37.stm}}.</ref> although [[Taipei 101]] and the associated sundial design of its adjoining park are much larger. The Sundial Bridge gnomon's shadow is cast upon a large dial to the north of the bridge, although the shadow cast by the tower is exactly accurate on only one day in a year&nbsp;– the summer [[solstice]], June 20 or 21. The time is given as [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific Daylight Time]]. The tip of the shadow moves at approximately one foot per minute so that the Earth's rotation about its axis can be seen with the naked eye.<ref name="Serway">{{Citation | title = Physics: For scientists and engineers with modern physics | last = Serway | first = Raymond A. | last2 = Jewett | edition = 7th | publisher = Thomson, Brooks/Cole | year = 2007 | isbn = 0-03-004538-X }}. Back cover.</ref>
The support tower of the bridge forms a single {{Convert|217|ft|m|adj=on}} mast that points due north at a cantilevered angle (42 degrees), allowing it to serve as the [[gnomon]] of a sundial. The spar's angle is slightly incorrect for it to be accurate the whole year, as the bridge's latitude is approximately 40.59 degrees. It has been billed as the world's largest sundial,<ref name="bee01">{{citation|title=Redding is seeking to bridge image gap|journal=[[Sacramento Bee]]|date=July 12, 2001}}.</ref><ref>{{citation|title=California's Seven Wonders: There's no shortage of the spectacular|journal=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=July 26, 2007|first=Janet|last=Fullwood|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07207/803169-37.stm}}.</ref> although [[Taipei 101]] and the associated sundial design of its adjoining park are much larger. The Sundial Bridge gnomon's shadow is cast upon a large dial to the north of the bridge. The shadow cast by the tower is said by the nearby time markings (see photo) to be exactly accurate on only one day in a year&nbsp;– the summer [[solstice]], June 20 or 21&nbsp;– but that has not been demonstrated. The time is given as [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific Daylight Time]]. The tip of the shadow moves at approximately one foot per minute so that the Earth's rotation about its axis can be seen with the naked eye.<ref name="Serway">{{Citation | title = Physics: For scientists and engineers with modern physics | last1 = Serway | first1 = Raymond A. | last2 = Jewett | edition = 7th | publisher = Thomson, Brooks/Cole | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-0-03-004538-7 }}. Back cover.</ref>


== Design ==
== Design ==
⚫
[[File:SundialBridgeCA2.jpg|thumb|150px|The support tower of the bridge.]]
⚫
The Sundial Bridge is a cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge, similar to Calatrava's earlier design of the ''[[Puente del Alamillo]]'' in [[Seville]], Spain (1992). This type of bridge does not balance the [[force]]s by using a [[symmetry|symmetrical]] arrangement of [[wire rope|cable]] forces on each side of its support tower; instead, it uses a [[cantilever]] tower, set at a 42-degree angle<ref name="ar">{{citation|title=Calatrava's "Sundial Bridge" Opens In Redding, California|journal=[[Architectural Record]]|date=July 21, 2004|url=http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/040721calatrava.asp}}.</ref> and loaded by cable stays on only one side. This design requires that the spar resist [[bending]] and [[Torsion (mechanics)#Mechanics|torsional]] forces and that its [[Foundation (architecture)|foundation]] resists overturning. While this leads to a less structurally efficient structure, the [[architect]]ural statement is dramatic. The bridge is {{Convert|700|ft}} in length and crosses the river without touching the water, a design criterion that helps protect the salmon spawning grounds beneath the bridge.<ref name="aofi">''Santiago Calatrava's Sundial Bridge: Angle of Inspiration'', Mill Valley Film Group, 2004.</ref> The cable stays are not centered on the walkway but instead divide the bridge into a major and minor path.
[[File:Sundial Bridge.jpg|thumb|The translucent glass pavement of the bridge]]
⚫
The Sundial Bridge is a [[cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge]], similar to Calatrava's earlier design of the ''[[Puente del Alamillo]]'' in [[Seville]], Spain (1992). This type of bridge does not balance the [[force]]s by using a [[symmetry|symmetrical]] arrangement of [[wire rope|cable]] forces on each side of its support tower; instead, it uses a [[cantilever]] tower, set at a 42-degree angle<ref name="ar">{{citation|title=Calatrava's "Sundial Bridge" Opens In Redding, California|journal=[[Architectural Record]]|date=July 21, 2004|url=http://archrecord.construction.com/news/daily/archives/040721calatrava.asp}}.</ref> and loaded by cable stays on only one side. This design requires that the spar resist [[bending]] and [[Torsion (mechanics)#Mechanics|torsional]] forces and that its [[Foundation (architecture)|foundation]] resists overturning. While this leads to a less structurally efficient structure, the [[architect]]ural statement is dramatic. The bridge is {{Convert|700|ft}} in length and crosses the river without touching the water, a design criterion that helps protect the salmon spawning grounds beneath the bridge.<ref name="aofi">''Santiago Calatrava's Sundial Bridge: Angle of Inspiration'', Mill Valley Film Group, 2004.</ref> The cable stays are not centered on the walkway but instead divide the bridge into a major and minor path.


The cable for the bridge totals {{Convert|4,342|ft}} and was made in England. The dial of the sundial and a small plaza beneath the support tower are decorated with broken white tile from Spain. The bridge's deck is surfaced with translucent structural glass from Quebec, which is illuminated from beneath and glows aquamarine at night. The steel support structure of the bridge was made in [[Vancouver, Washington]] and transported in {{Convert|40|ft|m|adj=on}} sections by truck to Redding.<ref name="chron" />
The cable for the bridge totals {{Convert|4,342|ft}} and was made in England. The dial of the sundial and a small plaza beneath the support tower are decorated with broken white tile from Spain. The bridge's deck is surfaced with translucent structural glass from Quebec, which is illuminated from beneath and glows aquamarine at night. The steel support structure of the bridge was made in [[Vancouver, Washington]] and transported in {{Convert|40|ft|m|adj=on}} sections by truck to Redding.<ref name="chron" />
[[File:Sundialbridge2.jpg|thumb|Sundial Bridge at [[night]]]]
[[File:Sundialbridge2.jpg|thumb|Sundial Bridge at night]]


== Budget ==
== History ==
Plans for the Sundial Bridge began in the 1990s, when the city of Redding budgeted $3 million for a pedestrian bridge across the river. However, costs escalated after Calatrava's design was chosen in 1996,<ref name="chron">{{citation|title=Walking Bridge That Soars: Backers See Stardom for Sundial Bridge|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/06/30/BAGEN7EAIH1.DTL|journal=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=June 30, 2004|first=Greg|last=Lucas}}.</ref> and the project became a controversial one within Redding, supported by a small group of doctors, lawyers, and other professionals but opposed by other residents who thought it would be too expensive<ref name="aofi"/><ref name="chron" /><ref name="globe">{{citation|title=Bridge unites parkland, divides town: Some see path to future, others a misguided mess|journal=[[Boston Globe]]|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/04/05/bridge_unites_parkland_divides_town/|first=Bobby Caina|last=Calvan|date=April 5, 2004}}.</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Coronary: A True Story of Medicine Gone Awry|first=Stephen|last=Klaidman|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2007|isbn=978-0-7432-6754-0|pages=25–26|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/coronarytruestor00klai}}.</ref> and who favored a more "folksy" covered bridge design.<ref name="aofi"/><ref name="nyt">{{citation|title=Bridge Out of Nowhere Leads a Town to Its Future|journal=[[New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/19/garden/bridge-out-of-nowhere-leads-a-town-to-its-future.html|date=February 19, 2004|first=Patricia Leigh|last=Brown}}.</ref> The bridge was completed in 2004, three years later than originally planned,<ref name="globe" /> at a cost of $23.5 million, with funding from the Redding-based McConnell Foundation.<ref name="wp">{{citation|title=California's Timeless Bridge|journal=[[Washington Post]]|date=July 25, 2004|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9484-2004Jul23.html|first=Christine|last=Vovakes}}.</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Aesthetics and economy in pedestrian bridge design|last1=Woodruff|first1=Shawn|last2=Billington|first2=David P.|journal=International Journal of Space Structures|volume=22|issue=1|year=2007|pages=81–89|doi=10.1260/026635107781037310}}.</ref> The expense was justified on the basis that it would increase tourism in the Redding area,<ref name="bee01" /><ref name="globe" /><ref name="nyt" /> which also features [[Shasta Dam]] as another architectural marvel, and it has been successful in that goal.<ref name="bee05" /><ref name="ar" /><ref>{{citation|title=Redding's magnetic bridge; The Sundial span has a powerful pull. The architect's stunning creation has drawn tourists and is changing the city's image|journal=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=June 3, 2007|first=Beverly|last=Beyette}}.</ref>
Plans for the Sundial Bridge began in the 1990s, when the city of Redding budgeted $3 million for a pedestrian bridge across the river. However, costs escalated after Calatrava's design was chosen in 1996,<ref name="chron">{{citation|title=Walking Bridge That Soars: Backers See Stardom for Sundial Bridge|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/06/30/BAGEN7EAIH1.DTL|journal=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=June 30, 2004|first=Greg|last=Lucas}}.</ref> and the project supported by a small group of doctors, lawyers, and other professionals and opposed by other residents who thought it would be too expensive<ref name="aofi"/><ref name="chron" /><ref name="globe">{{citation|title=Bridge unites parkland, divides town: Some see path to future, others a misguided mess|journal=[[Boston Globe]]|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/04/05/bridge_unites_parkland_divides_town/|first=Bobby Caina|last=Calvan|date=April 5, 2004}}.</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Coronary: A True Story of Medicine Gone Awry|first=Stephen|last=Klaidman|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2007|isbn=978-0-7432-6754-0|pages=[https://archive.org/details/coronarytruestor00klai/page/25 25–26]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/coronarytruestor00klai/page/25}}.</ref> and who favored a more "folksy" covered bridge design.<ref name="aofi"/><ref name="nyt">{{citation|title=Bridge Out of Nowhere Leads a Town to Its Future|journal=[[New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/19/garden/bridge-out-of-nowhere-leads-a-town-to-its-future.html|date=February 19, 2004|first=Patricia Leigh|last=Brown}}.</ref> The bridge was completed in 2004, three years later than originally planned,<ref name="globe" /> at a cost of $23.5 million, with funding from the Redding-based McConnell Foundation.<ref name="wp">{{citation|title=California's Timeless Bridge|journal=[[Washington Post]]|date=July 25, 2004|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9484-2004Jul23.html|first=Christine|last=Vovakes}}.</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Aesthetics and economy in pedestrian bridge design|last1=Woodruff|first1=Shawn|last2=Billington|first2=David P.|journal=International Journal of Space Structures|volume=22|issue=1|year=2007|pages=81–89|doi=10.1260/026635107781037310|s2cid=110630511}}.</ref> The expense was justified on the basis that it would increase tourism in the Redding area,<ref name="bee01" /><ref name="globe" /><ref name="nyt" /> which also features [[Shasta Dam]] as another architectural marvel, and it has been successful in that goal.<ref name="bee05" /><ref name="ar" /><ref>{{citation|title=Redding's magnetic bridge; The Sundial span has a powerful pull. The architect's stunning creation has drawn tourists and is changing the city's image|journal=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=June 3, 2007|first=Beverly|last=Beyette}}.</ref>


== Tourism ==
== Tourism ==
In the fiscal year following its grand opening, Turtle Bay Exploration Park, adjacent to the bridge, saw a 42-percent increase in its visitation.<ref name="bee05" /> As of 2011, Redding's city manager stated that the bridge "continues to generate millions of dollars worth of commerce and tourism each year".<ref>{{citation|title=It's meant to startle – and it does|journal=[[Sacramento Bee]]|date=April 11, 2011|first=Loretta|last=Kalb|url=http://www.sacbee.com/2011/04/11/3543095/its-meant-to-startle-and-it-does.html|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430025132/http://www.sacbee.com/2011/04/11/3543095/its-meant-to-startle-and-it-does.html|archivedate=April 30, 2011|df=}}.</ref>
In the fiscal year following its grand opening, Turtle Bay Exploration Park, adjacent to the bridge, saw a 42-percent increase in its visitation.<ref name="bee05" /> As of 2011, Redding's city manager stated that the bridge "continues to generate millions of dollars worth of commerce and tourism each year".<ref>{{citation|title=It's meant to startle – and it does|journal=[[Sacramento Bee]]|date=April 11, 2011|first=Loretta|last=Kalb|url=http://www.sacbee.com/2011/04/11/3543095/its-meant-to-startle-and-it-does.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430025132/http://www.sacbee.com/2011/04/11/3543095/its-meant-to-startle-and-it-does.html|archive-date=April 30, 2011}}.</ref>


== In media ==
== Events ==
⚫
In 2009, Nor-Cal Think Pink, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of early detection of breast cancer, received approval from the City of Redding to illuminate the Sundial Bridge in pink for its Think Pink Day. The event now takes place annually.<ref>[http://www.norcalthinkpink.org/pink-sundial-bridge.php Nor-Cal Think Pink]</ref><ref>[http://www.redding.com/news/2009/oct/15/sundial-bridge-will-turn-pink-tonight-think-pink-b/ "Sundial Bridge turns pink for Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Day"] Redding.com</ref><ref>[http://www.redding.com/news/2010/oct/18/txy-xy-xy-xyx-y-x/ "3 nights of pink lights"] Redding.com</ref>

== In popular culture==
The bridge is the cover image of a general physics textbook by Serway and Jewett, demonstrating the bridge resisting forces of wind and gravity.<ref name="Serway" />
The bridge is the cover image of a general physics textbook by Serway and Jewett, demonstrating the bridge resisting forces of wind and gravity.<ref name="Serway" />

== Pink Sundial Bridge ==
⚫
In 2009, Nor-Cal Think Pink, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of early detection of breast cancer, received approval from the City of Redding to illuminate the Sundial Bridge in pink for its Think Pink Day. The event now takes place annually.<ref>[http://www.norcalthinkpink.org/pink-sundial-bridge.php Nor-Cal Think Pink]</ref><ref>[http://www.redding.com/news/2009/oct/15/sundial-bridge-will-turn-pink-tonight-think-pink-b/ "Sundial Bridge turns pink for Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Day"] Redding.com</ref><ref>[http://www.redding.com/news/2010/oct/18/txy-xy-xy-xyx-y-x/ "3 nights of pink lights"] Redding.com</ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==
*[[Puente de la Mujer]], [[Buenos Aires]], [[Argentina]]
*[[Puente de la Mujer]], Buenos Aires, Argentina
*[[Samuel Beckett Bridge]], [[Dublin]], [[Ireland]]
*[[Samuel Beckett Bridge]], Dublin, Ireland
*[[Puente de la Unidad]], [[Monterrey]], [[Mexico]]
*[[Puente de la Unidad]], Monterrey, Mexico
*[[Puente del Alamillo]], [[Seville]], [[Spain]]
*[[Alamillo Bridge]], Seville, Spain


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
{{Reflist|2}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140531051535/http://www.turtlebay.org/sundialbridge Sundial Bridge official site]
* {{official site|https://www.turtlebay.org/sundial-bridge}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140531051535/http://www.turtlebay.org/sundialbridge Sundial Bridge official site] (archived)
* {{Structurae|id=20002419|title=Turtle Bay Sundial Bridge}}
* {{Structurae|id=20002419|title=Turtle Bay Sundial Bridge}}


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[[Category:Cable-stayed bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Cable-stayed bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Pedestrian bridges in California]]
[[Category:Pedestrian bridges in California]]
[[Category:Santiago Calatrava structures]]
[[Category:Bridges by Santiago Calatrava]]
[[Category:Sundials]]
[[Category:Sundials]]
[[Category:Towers in California]]
[[Category:Towers in California]]
[[Category:Redding, California]]
[[Category:Redding, California]]
[[Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Shasta County, California]]
[[Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Shasta County, California]]
[[Category:Neo-futurism architecture]]
[[Category:Neo-futurist architecture]]
[[Category:Steel bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Steel bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Cantilever bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Cantilever bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Inclined towers]]
[[Category:Inclined towers]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Redding, California]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in California]]

Latest revision as of 03:37, 13 October 2024

Sundial Bridge
Coordinates40°35′32″N 122°22′39″W / 40.59222°N 122.37750°W / 40.59222; -122.37750
CarriesBicycles and pedestrians
CrossesSacramento River
LocaleRedding, California
Official nameSundial Bridge
Characteristics
DesignCantilever spar cable-stayed bridge
Total length700 feet (210 m)
Width23 feet (7.0 m)
Clearance below26 feet (7.9 m)
History
DesignerSantiago Calatrava
OpenedJuly 4, 2004
Location
Map

The Sundial Bridge (also known as the Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay) is a cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge for bicycles and pedestrians that spans the Sacramento River in Redding, California, United States and forms a large sundial. It was designed by Santiago Calatrava and completed in 2004 at a cost of US$23.5 million. The bridge has become iconic for Redding.[1][2]

Description

[edit]

The Sundial Bridge provides pedestrian access to the north and south areas of Turtle Bay Exploration Park, a complex containing environmental, art and history museums and the McConnell Arboretum and Gardens. It also forms the gateway to the Sacramento River Trail,[3] a 35-mile-long (56 km) trail completed in 2010 that extends along both sides of the river and connects the bridge to the Shasta Dam.[4] Drift boats of fishermen are often seen passing beneath the bridge as they fish for salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout.[5] In the distance, Mount Shasta is barely visible. Shasta Bally is visible to the West looking upstream the Sacramento.

Support tower of Sundial Bridge

Sundial

[edit]
One of the markers on the dial of the sundial.

The support tower of the bridge forms a single 217-foot (66 m) mast that points due north at a cantilevered angle (42 degrees), allowing it to serve as the gnomon of a sundial. The spar's angle is slightly incorrect for it to be accurate the whole year, as the bridge's latitude is approximately 40.59 degrees. It has been billed as the world's largest sundial,[6][7] although Taipei 101 and the associated sundial design of its adjoining park are much larger. The Sundial Bridge gnomon's shadow is cast upon a large dial to the north of the bridge. The shadow cast by the tower is said by the nearby time markings (see photo) to be exactly accurate on only one day in a year – the summer solstice, June 20 or 21 – but that has not been demonstrated. The time is given as Pacific Daylight Time. The tip of the shadow moves at approximately one foot per minute so that the Earth's rotation about its axis can be seen with the naked eye.[8]

Design

[edit]
The support tower of the bridge.
The translucent glass pavement of the bridge

The Sundial Bridge is a cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge, similar to Calatrava's earlier design of the Puente del Alamillo in Seville, Spain (1992). This type of bridge does not balance the forces by using a symmetrical arrangement of cable forces on each side of its support tower; instead, it uses a cantilever tower, set at a 42-degree angle[9] and loaded by cable stays on only one side. This design requires that the spar resist bending and torsional forces and that its foundation resists overturning. While this leads to a less structurally efficient structure, the architectural statement is dramatic. The bridge is 700 feet (210 m) in length and crosses the river without touching the water, a design criterion that helps protect the salmon spawning grounds beneath the bridge.[10] The cable stays are not centered on the walkway but instead divide the bridge into a major and minor path.

The cable for the bridge totals 4,342 feet (1,323 m) and was made in England. The dial of the sundial and a small plaza beneath the support tower are decorated with broken white tile from Spain. The bridge's deck is surfaced with translucent structural glass from Quebec, which is illuminated from beneath and glows aquamarine at night. The steel support structure of the bridge was made in Vancouver, Washington and transported in 40-foot (12 m) sections by truck to Redding.[11]

Sundial Bridge at night

History

[edit]

Plans for the Sundial Bridge began in the 1990s, when the city of Redding budgeted $3 million for a pedestrian bridge across the river. However, costs escalated after Calatrava's design was chosen in 1996,[11] and the project supported by a small group of doctors, lawyers, and other professionals and opposed by other residents who thought it would be too expensive[10][11][12][13] and who favored a more "folksy" covered bridge design.[10][14] The bridge was completed in 2004, three years later than originally planned,[12] at a cost of $23.5 million, with funding from the Redding-based McConnell Foundation.[3][15] The expense was justified on the basis that it would increase tourism in the Redding area,[6][12][14] which also features Shasta Dam as another architectural marvel, and it has been successful in that goal.[5][9][16]

Tourism

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In the fiscal year following its grand opening, Turtle Bay Exploration Park, adjacent to the bridge, saw a 42-percent increase in its visitation.[5] As of 2011, Redding's city manager stated that the bridge "continues to generate millions of dollars worth of commerce and tourism each year".[17]

Events

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In 2009, Nor-Cal Think Pink, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of early detection of breast cancer, received approval from the City of Redding to illuminate the Sundial Bridge in pink for its Think Pink Day. The event now takes place annually.[18][19][20]

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The bridge is the cover image of a general physics textbook by Serway and Jewett, demonstrating the bridge resisting forces of wind and gravity.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Calvan, Bobby Caina (April 5, 2004). "Bridge unites parkland, divides town: Some see path to future, others a misguided mess". The Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. Retrieved March 18, 2010.[dead link‍]
  2. ^ "Sundial Bridge—California's Newest Icon". ShastaCascade.com. Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association. 2007. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Vovakes, Christine (July 25, 2004), "California's Timeless Bridge", Washington Post.
  4. ^ Ottesen, Peter (June 2, 2010), Finished trail is 35 miles of pure heaven, Recordnet.
  5. ^ a b c "Tourists lured by Redding bridge", Sacramento Bee, October 5, 2005.
  6. ^ a b "Redding is seeking to bridge image gap", Sacramento Bee, July 12, 2001.
  7. ^ Fullwood, Janet (July 26, 2007), "California's Seven Wonders: There's no shortage of the spectacular", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  8. ^ a b Serway, Raymond A.; Jewett (2007), Physics: For scientists and engineers with modern physics (7th ed.), Thomson, Brooks/Cole, ISBN 978-0-03-004538-7. Back cover.
  9. ^ a b "Calatrava's "Sundial Bridge" Opens In Redding, California", Architectural Record, July 21, 2004.
  10. ^ a b c Santiago Calatrava's Sundial Bridge: Angle of Inspiration, Mill Valley Film Group, 2004.
  11. ^ a b c Lucas, Greg (June 30, 2004), "Walking Bridge That Soars: Backers See Stardom for Sundial Bridge", San Francisco Chronicle.
  12. ^ a b c Calvan, Bobby Caina (April 5, 2004), "Bridge unites parkland, divides town: Some see path to future, others a misguided mess", Boston Globe.
  13. ^ Klaidman, Stephen (2007), Coronary: A True Story of Medicine Gone Awry, Simon and Schuster, pp. 25–26, ISBN 978-0-7432-6754-0.
  14. ^ a b Brown, Patricia Leigh (February 19, 2004), "Bridge Out of Nowhere Leads a Town to Its Future", New York Times.
  15. ^ Woodruff, Shawn; Billington, David P. (2007), "Aesthetics and economy in pedestrian bridge design", International Journal of Space Structures, 22 (1): 81–89, doi:10.1260/026635107781037310, S2CID 110630511.
  16. ^ Beyette, Beverly (June 3, 2007), "Redding's magnetic bridge; The Sundial span has a powerful pull. The architect's stunning creation has drawn tourists and is changing the city's image", Los Angeles Times.
  17. ^ Kalb, Loretta (April 11, 2011), "It's meant to startle – and it does", Sacramento Bee, archived from the original on April 30, 2011.
  18. ^ Nor-Cal Think Pink
  19. ^ "Sundial Bridge turns pink for Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Day" Redding.com
  20. ^ "3 nights of pink lights" Redding.com
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