Gold Star Memorial Bridge | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 41°21′51″N 72°05′15″W / 41.3642°N 72.0875°W |
Carries | 11 lanes of I-95 / US 1, bikes/pedestrians |
Crosses | Thames River |
Locale | New London, Connecticut and Groton, Connecticut |
Official name | Gold Star Memorial Bridge |
Maintained by | Connecticut Department of Transportation |
Characteristics | |
Design | Twin Truss - Deck |
Total length | 1,807.8 m (5,931 ft 1+1⁄4 in) / 1,941 m (6,368 ft 1+3⁄8 in) |
Width | 24.4 m (80 ft 5⁄8 in) / 24.4 m (80 ft 5⁄8 in) |
Clearance below | 41.1 m (134 ft 10+1⁄8 in) |
History | |
Opened | 1943 south span 1973 north span (twinned) |
Location | |
The Gold Star Memorial Bridge is a pair of steel truss bridges that carry both Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 across the Thames River between New London, Connecticut and Groton, Connecticut. The bridge is the largest structure in the state, with more than 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m2) of deck area, and the longest bridge in the state at 6,000 feet (1,829 m).[1] Its 11 highway lanes accommodate an average daily traffic of 117,000 vehicles.[2] The bridge is actually a set of twin bridges, but they are generally spoken of using the singular "bridge".