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The Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay is a world-famous pedestrian bridge and public art installation that crosses the Sacramento River in Redding and connects the north and south campuses of Turtle Bay Exploration Park.Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay Free & open to the public daily The Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay crosses the Sacramento River in the heart of Redding, California. Opened July 4, 2004, the bridge links the north and south campuses of Turtle Bay Exploration Park and serves as a new downtown entrance for Redding’s extensive Sacramento River Trail system. Access to the Sundial Bridge and surrounding river trails are free to the public. Paid access areas include Turtle Bay’s Museum, Forest Camp, Wildlife Woods, and Botanical Gardens. As the name suggests, the Sundial Bridge is, in fact, a working sundial and is one of the largest in the world. The sundial shadow traces such a large arc that it can record only four hours a day, from 11am - 3pm. It is not accurate in winter because the shadow is too far into the arboretum to be seen. The shadow, when visible, moves about one foot per minute, so you can readily see it move. The bridge celebrates human creativity and ingenuity, important themes of the 300 acre Turtle Bay Exploration Park. The steel, glass, and granite span evokes a sense of weightlessness and the translucent, non-skid decking provides for spectacular viewing at night. The bridge is also environmentally sensitive to its river setting. The tall pylon and cable stays allow the bridge to avoid the nearby salmon-spawning habitat as there are no supports in the water while encouraging public appreciation for the river. Plazas are situated at both ends of the bridge for public use; the north-side plaza stretches to the water allowing patrons to sit at the river’s edge. In addition to being a functional work of art, the Sundial Bridge is a technical marvel as well. The cable-stayed structure has an inclined, 217 foot pylon constructed of 580 tons of steel. The deck is made up of 200 tons of glass and granite and is supported by more than 4,300 feet of cable. The structure is stabilized by a steel truss, and rests on a foundation of more than 115 tons of steel and 1,900 cubic yards of concrete. The McConnell Foundation, a private, independent foundation established in Redding in 1964, funded the majority of the bridge’s $24 million cost. World renowned Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava conceived the Sundial Bridge’s unusual design, his first free-standing bridge in the United States. Calatrava has built bridges, airports, rail terminals, stadiums, and other structures around the world. His notable designs include the new PATH transportation terminal at the World Trade Center site in New York City and several projects at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, including the main stadium where opening and closing ceremonies were held. About the Designer SUNDIAL BRIDGE STATISTICSCompletion And Opening Dimensions Weight Materials SUNDIAL BRIDGE FUNDERSThe McConnell Foundation PROJECT TEAMArchitect HELPFUL COMPARISONSConcrete Weight Cables Pre-fabrication Is Sundial Bridge Redding free?Opened July 4, 2004, the bridge links the north and south campuses of Turtle Bay Exploration Park and serves as a new downtown entrance for Redding's extensive Sacramento River Trail system. Access to the Sundial Bridge and surrounding river trails are free to the public.
What road crosses the Sundial Bridge?The Sundial Bridge on a Google Map
The Sundial Bridge is located just one mile west of Interstate 5 (i-5) at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, California, USA. The Sundial Bridge crosses the Sacramento River and was first opened to the public on July 4, 2004.
Can you walk the Sundial Bridge at night?you can walk on the bridge anytime. There is no charge and at night the bridge is lit from under the bridge and the walk area is well lit and patrolled.
How tall is the Sundial Bridge in Redding?The bridge construction was completed and officially opened to the public July 4, 2004. The Sundial bridge weighs 3.2 million pounds and measures 700 feet long, 23 feet wide, 217 feet high (pylon). The bridge is a steel structure with galvanized steel cables, made of 580 tons of steel and 4,342 feet of cable.
How old is Sundial Bridge in Redding?18Sundial Bridge / Agenull
How does the Redding Sundial Bridge work?On the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, the Sundial Bridge cast its shadow on the ground that accurately pointed to an 11 a.m. marker on the ground. The solstice is the one day of the year when the bridge functions as a working sundial.
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