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Building of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
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Highlights
As seen from the Aquarium
East Bay on ramp
The Last Shark Fin
Closing the main span gap
Paving the bridge
The last stay cable
Opening Events
Engineering Challenges
Stories of Bridge Folks
Erecting Steel
Building Bridge Blog

March 11, 2005:Placing the last floor panel to close the last gap

Philip Cotter, at the left corner of the floor panel, (the iron worker who named the Last Dinosaur Standing) looks like he is signaling the crane operator a go ahead and raise the last floor panel. Actually he is secretly waving at his wife Tina. With the crane operator of the Last Dinosaur Standing, Philip developed great skill at secretly waving at Tina.

and when the panel is properly positioned over the last gap, Philip gives another secret wave for Tina, disguised as the lower-the-panel signal.

Here, Philip, now on the right corner, is trying to decide when to make another secret wave wave for Tina, or maybe wave for his kids: Jessica, Breehnna and Tristan or a wave for his mom, Debi?

Actually, dropping the last floor panel was a big media event and the crowd was extremely pleased with our New Cooper River Bridge

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Attribution: C. Frank Starmer from http://ravenelbridge.net

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