The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which opened to traffic on July 1st, 1940, was built in the Evergreen State during the 1930s. It ran from Gig Harbor to Tacoma, about 40 miles south of Seattle, over Puget Sound. The canal where the bridge crossed the sound is about a mile wide. With a length of 5,959 feet, it was the world's third longest suspension bridge at the time.
The bridge was designed by Leon Moisseiff to be the most flexible ever built. Engineers at the time concluded that the design, while exceeding previously accepted length, depth, and breadth ratios, was totally safe. Following the collapse, it was discovered that the engineers had failed to account for the aerodynamic forces present at the site during a period of high winds. Such forces were not widely considered by engineers and designers at the time of building.
Listen now to learn more about the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and how it earned its original moniker!

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