New Tacoma Narrows Bridge, July 2007

The photos in this series were taken Sunday July 15, 2007 at the dedication of the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge built just south of the second Narrows Bridge - the first one, nicknamed Galloping Gertie, fell into the Narrows Strait shortly after its completion, but that's another story already told. This new bridge, although a design marvel, was controversial for several reasons, none in favor of the State government. Why?

First, it wasn't what voters approved but was what the State Department of Transportation and the contractor built. Second, it was nearly twice the orginal bond approval voted by the taxpayers. This doubled the toll originally sold to those who need to use it routinely. It's $1.75 for those with transponders and $3 for everyone else. And lastly it won't really solve the traffic congestion as they didn't add any real lanes of traffic, only an HOV lane. And they plan to close the old bridge next year to refurbish it with new decking, something they didn't tell us until recently.

Anyway, I photographed the morning's dedication with the officials and some of the original vehicles at the opening of the first two bridges. I mostly wanted to photographed the scenes and people behind the scenes and the many people who enjoyed the first day when it was open to people than people in cars.

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