West Arm Bridge at Nelson / Orange Bridge

Canada / British Columbia / Nelson /
On Nov. 7, 1957, this $4,000,000 toll bridge was opened, spanning the West Arm of Kootenay Lake at Nelson. The bridge replaced a cable ferry which had moved cars, trucks and people across the lake for many years.

Info about the bridge opening: city.nelson.bc.ca/html/bridge.html
 Add place (company, shop, etc.) to this building
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   49°30'37"N   117°16'56"W

Comments

  • Just a note: In the previous version, the bridge was named "Big Orange Bridge" and the description said something about it being called "BOB". I was born/raised/lived there for >20 years before moving away for school/work and I'd never heard it called that before. That being said, I *did* find a notation on a site about "Vanishing BC" that uses that terminology and name, so feel free to re-add that info if you like.
  • As a 12 year old we used to swim across the Kootenay river beside the new bridge construction in1956. I wouldn't do it today.
  • How high is the bridge?
  • Fred McKim trained as a Deep Sea Diver/ Hard Hat Diver dove the underwater construction of the Nelson Bridge. During one shift underwater he was almost killed by a very large boulder, that according to Fred the flensing of the nearby rock for the concrete abutments to anchor onto caused an undermining. When it toppled over he asked via the helmet intercom, what could have caused such a current so as to almost knock him over. Nobody surface side could understand what had happened. He didn't find out until it was time to turn and walk to his ladder up. Retracing his habitual path, he said it was so murky and had strode 2 steps and walked right face plate first into the boulder. It had rolled over from its upright position, coming to within a few feet of getting a bridge named after him.
This article was last modified 11 years ago