The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse: A Lesson in Engineering History

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was a suspension bridge that spanned the Tacoma Narrows strait of Puget Sound in Washington state, connecting the Olympic Peninsula with the mainland. It opened to traffic on July 1, 1940, and was hailed as a marvel of modern engineering. It was the third longest suspension bridge in the world at the time, with a main span of 2,800 feet (840 meters). It was also one of the most flexible bridges ever built, designed by Leon Moisseiff to withstand wind forces by allowing the deck to move up and down and side to side.