Unbuilding the Grace and Pearman Bridges  | August 30, 2002 In retrospect, my curiosity of cable stay bridges started in Patras Greece  | August 23, 2003 First photos from the SC Aquarium  | October 12, 2003 The west and east pylons are rapidly growing  |
October 19, 2003 Cargo ships passing under the virtual Ravenel Bridge  | October 26, 2003 Continued development of the pylons  | November 02, 2003 Concrete mixing machines at the pylon worksite  | November 09, 2003 Work on the east and west approach pylons  |
November 16, 2003 The east pylon is catching up with the west pylon  | November 23, 2003 Structural steel moved into place near the west pylon  | November 30, 2003 Forms in place on the tops of the east approach piers  | December 07, 2003 East approach pier capped  |
December 14, 2003 Main span platform started  | January 01, 2004 Overview and links: Cable Stay Bridges  | January 13, 2004 Erecting the east platform  | January 18, 2004 A closer look at the east and west main span decks  |
January 25, 2004 Shark fin edge girders in place on the west platform  | January 31, 2004 Shark fin edge girders in place on the east platform  | February 15, 2004 Deck crane erectedon the west platform  | February 22, 2004 Two deck cranes on the west platform  |
February 28, 2004 West pylon top nearing completion  | March 07, 2004 First stay cable pulled  | March 14, 2004 Freyssinet at work - West stay cables assembled  | March 21, 2004 A dolphin and a different view of the bridge  |
April 18, 2004 Reflections of our bridge and east stay cables pulled  | April 26, 2004 East approach floor griders extended to the next pier  | May 02, 2004 Second set of stay cables on the west platform  | May 09, 2004 Without words - reflections  |
May 09, 2004 My first bicycle adventure to get a closer look  | May 15, 2004 Adding shark-fin edge girders  | May 17, 2004 Second stay cables on the east platform  | May 22, 2004 3rd stay cable assembled  |
May 23, 2004 Lateral tendons and the elevator  | May 30, 2004 4th shark fin girders added to the west platform  | June 06, 2004 Lateral tendons  | June 07, 2004 4th stay cable assembled  |
June 22, 2004 Fifth stay cables assembled on the west platform  | June 27, 2004 Erecting floor girders between the west approach pylons  | June 27, 2004 West approach and ramp  | June 27, 2004 Progress as seen from my bicycle  |
July 04, 2004 Adding the next set of shark fin girder to the west back span  | July 04, 2004 Pier construction on the west and approaches  | July 04, 2004 Counterweights as the mainspan grows  | July 08, 2004 Hurricane cables  |
July 11, 2004 Extending shark fin girders to the east back span  | July 11, 2004 Adding floor girders  | July 17, 2004 6th stay cable assembled  | July 17, 2004 Finishing the approach piers  |
July 21, 2004 David Wertz, my engineeing professor at SCDOT  | July 21, 2004 Freyssinet: Building a stay cable  | July 31, 2004 Closing the gaps between the approaches and back spans  | July 31, 2004 Pier construction on the west and approaches  |
August 01, 2004 Mt. Pleasant's finest: running interference during my weekly bicycle rides on the Pearman  | August 01, 2004 Hurricane cables and a possible test  | August 07, 2004 7th stay cable assembled  | August 07, 2004 Finishing the east and west approach piers  |
August 08, 2004 Building the 7th set of stay cables  | August 14, 2004 Eighth cable assembled on the west deck  | August 14, 2004 Work on the east and west approach piers  | August 21, 2004 8th stay cable assembled  |
August 21, 2004 New cables on the east and west back spans  | August 22, 2004 Building the 8th set of stay cables  | August 29, 2004 Closing the gaps between the back spans and the approaches  | August 29, 2004 Finishing the east approach pier  |
August 29, 2004 Dreding the channel  | September 01, 2004 9th stay cable assembled  | September 01, 2004 Spanning the last two approach piers (west)  | September 01, 2004 Placing the final triple shark fin girder  |
September 05, 2004 A bridge near Manzanillo Mexico  | September 12, 2004 Adding the 2nd set of hurricane cables  | September 12, 2004 Closing the west gap  | September 12, 2004 Stay cables and Hurricane anchors  |
September 19, 2004 Completion of the west approach with a 3 finned shark girder  | September 19, 2004 Erecting the approach girders  | September 19, 2004 East and West approach piers  | September 24, 2004 More finish work on the approach piers and girders  |
September 25, 2004 Another hurricane coming and the 10th stay cables complete  | September 25, 2004 Capping piers and extending the main span  | September 26, 2004 10th stay cable assembled  | October 03, 2004 11th cable installed on the west platform  |
October 03, 2004
 | October 03, 2004 Capping the east pier  | October 09, 2004
 | October 09, 2004 Two edge girder to go - linking the back span with the west approach  |
October 15, 2004
 | October 15, 2004 11th stay cable assembled  | October 17, 2004
 | October 17, 2004 12th shark fin girder added on the approach side of the west back span  |
October 17, 2004 Adding the triple fin girder on the east back span  | October 22, 2004
 | October 22, 2004 12th stay cable assembled  | October 29, 2004 A visit to High Steel, Lancaster Pa.  |
October 31, 2004
 | October 31, 2004 The squeeze is on - one edge girder to link the west approach and back span  | November 01, 2004 Closing the gap between the west backspan and west approach  | November 01, 2004 13th stay cable assembled  |
November 06, 2004 A shark fin splice between the west approach and west back span  | November 07, 2004
 | November 14, 2004
 | November 14, 2004 Cargo passing under the main span gap  |
November 14, 2004 X marks the spot  | November 21, 2004
 | November 21, 2004 13th cable on the west main span  | November 28, 2004
 |
November 28, 2004 Shark fin girders in waiting  | December 01, 2004
 | December 01, 2004 Running with Christopher  | December 02, 2004
 |
December 02, 2004 Closing the gap  | December 05, 2004
 | December 05, 2004 15th stay cable assembled  | December 12, 2004
 |
December 12, 2004 The west approach expansion gap  | December 12, 2004 Joining the east approach to the east backspan  | December 12, 2004 Morning sun  | December 12, 2004 Closing the gap  |
December 16, 2004 Night work on the main span  | December 18, 2004
 | December 18, 2004 13th cable assembled on the east span  | December 18, 2004 Closing the gap  |
December 19, 2004 God's early monring sun kisses our new bridge  | December 23, 2004
 | December 23, 2004 Dark and gloomy - but the channel gap is decreasing  | January 02, 2005
 |
January 02, 2005 Adding another pair of shark fin girders to the east main span  | January 02, 2005 Closing the gap  | January 08, 2005
 | January 08, 2005 Last shark fin girder extends the west main span  |
January 08, 2005 My first views of line 14 (East Bay on ramp)  | January 08, 2005 Closing the gap  | January 15, 2005
 | January 15, 2005 Last stay cable assembled on the west main span  |
January 15, 2005 Extending the edge girders  | January 16, 2005
 | January 16, 2005 16th stay cable assembled (west)  | January 16, 2005 Preparing the pier cap and pouring concrete at the East Bay entrance  |
January 19, 2005 Adding center girders  | January 19, 2005 Closing the gap  | January 20, 2005 Girders on the move - by truck that is  | January 22, 2005
 |
January 22, 2005 12th cable assembly on the east main span  | January 22, 2005 Cross bracing and a view from above  | January 22, 2005 Closing the gap  | January 23, 2005 One more edge girder to go!  |
January 25, 2005 Two spans to go  | January 26, 2005 High Steel: Drilling and reaming the last splice plate  | January 28, 2005 Preparing the next set of girders  | January 28, 2005 Marvin Tallent - cyclist and professor of bridgeology  |
January 30, 2005 Last shark fin girder extends the west main span  | January 30, 2005 Last shark fin edge girder  | February 01, 2005 Olivier Forget - Freyssinet's ace problem solver  | February 04, 2005 Sandblasting the towers  |
February 04, 2005 No gap between Line 14 and the Ravenel approach  | February 05, 2005 Sand blasting the pylons and erecting the stay pipe on the east platform  | February 05, 2005 Kissing cranes at the Ravenel junction  | February 05, 2005 Closing the gap  |
February 06, 2005 Last edge girder placed  | February 11, 2005 Freyssinet: Pulling the last cable strands  | February 12, 2005 16th stay cable assembled (east)  | February 12, 2005 Bidwell at work near East Bay - making roadway  |
February 12, 2005 Closing the gap  | February 13, 2005 Last edge girder gap  | February 19, 2005 Closing the main span gap  | February 19, 2005 Marvin and Lori: Bridge workers will do anything to be first to cross the gap  |
February 19, 2005 Closing the main span gap  | February 20, 2005 Splicing the east and west main spans  | February 20, 2005 Happy workers and placing the underside forms  | February 20, 2005 Transition from feet to inches (gap)  |
February 23, 2005 The last gap - North and South sides  | February 23, 2005 Phillip and the Last Dinosaur Standing  | February 27, 2005 Dark, gloomy - nothing specific to note (at least by me)  | February 27, 2005 Grace crossbraces removed  |
February 27, 2005 Only inches to close  | March 05, 2005 Hydraulic jacks and moving the bridge  | March 05, 2005 Building the bicycle/jogging path forms  | March 05, 2005 A visit to the bridge with my dad  |
March 06, 2005 A bicycle path for Marvin and Laurie  | March 06, 2005 A gap of inches - time for a little hydaulic jacking action  | March 06, 2005 Early morning work on the traveler  | March 08, 2005 Installing the splice plate  |
March 08, 2005 Freyssinet injecting cables  | March 08, 2005 Installing the last splice plate  | March 08, 2005 Installing the last splice plate  | March 10, 2005 Placing the floor panels  |
March 10, 2005 Unbuilding the west tower crane  | March 10, 2005 Installing floor panels  | March 10, 2005 Peo Halvarsson: Main Span Superintendent  | March 11, 2005 The last floor panel  |
March 11, 2005 The last floor panel  | March 12, 2005 Filling the gaps with concrete  | March 12, 2005 Pouring the last concrete  | March 13, 2005 The west tower crane is growing down  |
March 13, 2005 The Bidwell paving machine - at work  | March 19, 2005 Half the west tower crane  | March 19, 2005 Main span curvature  | March 19, 2005 Paving continues - and a view from the Pearman  |
March 22, 2005 Freyssinet: Injecting cable housings  | March 26, 2005 Gone is the west tower crane  | March 26, 2005 Building the span under the Grace truss  | March 29, 2005 Freyssinet: Seating and sealing internal cable assemblies  |
April 02, 2005 A continuous main span - now for the finish work  | April 02, 2005 Building the expansion joint at the Ravenel junction  | April 06, 2005 Meet the Bidwell Paving Machine  | April 08, 2005 The east tower crane is growing down  |
April 08, 2005 Ungrowing the east tower crane  | April 09, 2005 The east tower crane continues to grow down  | April 11, 2005 Starting the south lanes  | April 11, 2005 Building the expansion joint  |
April 12, 2005 Ungrowing the east tower crane  | April 14, 2005 East tower crane is resting on the rock island barge  | April 15, 2005 No tower cranes, no barges, just our new bridge  | April 16, 2005 The bicycle detour around the Grace supports  |
April 23, 2005 Building the anchor boxes  | April 23, 2005 A view from the Sea Breeze Marina  | April 23, 2005 The curvature of the main and back spans  | April 23, 2005 Paving the south lanes  |
April 23, 2005 Phillip and Dinosaurs  | April 23, 2005 Bicycle and jogging lane virtually complete  | April 30, 2005 The anchor assemblies  | April 30, 2005 The traveler and me  |
April 30, 2005 Continued paving of the inside lanes  | April 30, 2005 The traveler - a ride under the bridge  | April 30, 2005 The last pour at the expansion joint  | April 30, 2005 All purpose Wilbur  |
May 07, 2005 The external dampers  | May 07, 2005 Making digital sketches from photos  | May 07, 2005 Paving  | May 08, 2005 Building the entrance ramp from East Bay and the expansion joint  |
May 14, 2005 Adding the bicycle guard rail  | May 14, 2005 Work on the external dampers  | May 14, 2005 Paving  | May 14, 2005 Painting and the expansion joint  |
May 14, 2005 The multitalented Wilbur  | May 16, 2005 Wind dynamics over the diamond towers  | May 20, 2005 Completion of the external dampers  | May 20, 2005 Surveying the finish work - paving, guard rails and center barrier  |
May 20, 2005 More about Wilbur  | May 21, 2005 New roadway poured last night  | May 21, 2005 More of Wilbur's talents  | May 22, 2005 Make a Panorama  |
May 22, 2005 Cleco: Night paving - oops - too windy  | May 22, 2005 A view from the top  | May 22, 2005 A panorama from the top  | May 22, 2005 The man - Wade Watson  |
May 25, 2005 Cleco: The last night for pouring concrete  | May 27, 2005 Paving is complete  | May 27, 2005 Painting the lane boundaries  | June 02, 2005 The elegance of symmetry  |
June 04, 2005 Cargo passing under the completed main span  | June 04, 2005 Pouring the bicycle / jogging East Bay entrance  | June 07, 2005 A little bit of bridge art  | June 10, 2005 Final painting of the anchors  |
June 11, 2005 From the Imax Theater  | June 11, 2005 Views of the Ravenel Bridge  | June 11, 2005 Passing cargo ships and a view of our bridge  | June 11, 2005 East Bay on-ramp completed  |
June 19, 2005 As seen from the Imax Theater  | June 26, 2005 Visiting our daughter in Easton Pa  | July 09, 2005 The Ravenel Bridge open to foot traffic  | July 12, 2005 Views of a clean bridge (A gift from Wade Watson)  |
July 12, 2005 Look at what PBC made  | July 13, 2005 Preparations for Fireworks  | July 14, 2005 Opening ceremony fireworks  | July 15, 2005 Opening Dinner  |
July 15, 2005 What is a signature bridge  | July 16, 2005 The evening of the first day - and there was a sunset  | July 16, 2005 Reflections of the opening ceremony  | July 17, 2005 The first day of official traffic on our new bridge  |
July 17, 2005 First day of traffic  | July 23, 2005 Maxwell in Paris  | July 24, 2005 Le Tour de France  | July 30, 2005 The week after in Paris  |