The Eads Bridge comes to us from the same fellow who invented the diving bell (not to be confused with the Turtle of the Revolutionary War). It was the first bridge to cross the Mississippi River in the area, eliminating much of the need for ferries, and it was an engineering marvel. Eads broke the mold of river-bridge construction, using new materials and innovative methods. A couple dozen men died in the building of this bridge. |
This bridge now provides light rail service on the St. Louis Metrolink, as well as a walking/bicycling trail, in addition to motorized-vehicle traffic.
Other bridges, built more recently, offer completely different engineering methods. The most prominent being a bridge that is suspended and supported by huge cables and pylons.