Every bridge takes geometry into account as it is a vital part of ensuring the bridge is sturdy, durable and can handle the weight it will be subject to. Geometric constraints will also determine the type of bridge that can be built at certain sites. It is not surprising therefore that I have multiple bridges to share over the coming month.

I thought I’d start with one that caught my eye in northern California – the Steamboat Slough Bridge!

Steamboat Slough Bridge, Sacramento Delta

Doesn’t it have a great name. Nothing to do with the type of bridge, but a reflection of its location – it crosses the Steamboat Slough, a branch of the Sacramento River. Steamboats regularly travelled this waters between Sacramento and San Francisco, and slough in this instance means side-channel from a river.

The bridge was built in 1924 and originally the road deck would have been made of wood. In simple terms it is a bascule bridge and works in a similar way to Tower Bridge in London, it is just the counterweight is hidden at Tower Bridge. For those of a more technical nature this bridge is an Metal Rivet-Connected Pratt Through Truss, Movable: Double Leaf Bascule (Heel Trunnion)!

It is day five of GeometricJanuary, and I have been delighted by the variety of geometric squares everyone has been sharing. If you also want to join in the magic of geometry this month, then all you need remember is that your main image must be Square in shape. Everything else is a recommendation;

  • it is a daily challenge but you can also post weekly, just once in January or whatever frequency suits you and your blog
  • it is totally up to you whether you pingback via your post or add your link with a comment on one of my daily square posts. Both approaches work.
  • it helps me enormously when I create the galleries if you use the tag GeometricJanuary
  • keep an eye on your spam as my comments are disappearing on some of your posts

86 thoughts

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  2. What an interesting bridge! I know Tower Bridge very well of course, but as you say the counterweights are hidden there so I was intrigued to see this one exposed 🙂

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    1. W’d look at Tower Bridge quite differently I think if we saw all the counter weights out in the open – can’t quite get my head around why this counterweight is so enormous as the bridge is tiny compared to Tower Bridge

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. its size doesn’t reflect its location or the width of the river – makes me wonder if the company who constructed it was either testing ideas out or trying to win a bigger commission somewhere else

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  10. I wondered about the chunk of concrete 🤔 I too have a few bridges on the way. Just that I am running out of my favourite bridge songs 😂

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  12. That’s a novel one but it’s a good shape for squaring. At first glance I thought it was a fairground ride (then I put my specs on!). Happy Sunday, Becky!

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    1. there are quite a few of them in the Sacramento delta but this one is particularly big – I wonder if the bridge builders were all trying to out compete each other

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    1. You are definitely a geometer, and the WP gremlins seems to think my comments need hiding on your posts! Do check your spam

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