Posted
on June 10, 2015
It
was the year 2000 – and people couldn't help being inspired by all
those zeroes, and a whole new “millennium” (thousand years)
beginning.
Many
nations and major cities had projects that could be unveiled that
year, and London in the United Kingdom was no different:
- It opened the Millennium Dome, with a major exhibition called the Millennium Experience on display for the entire year 2000.
- It opened the world's tallest Ferris world, the London Eye (aka the Millennium Wheel).
- It opened the Tate Modern, a modern art gallery.
- And it opened the Millennium Bridge!
The
bridge was not designed for cars. Well, actually, it sort of WAS
designed for cars, and that was a problem, because it should have
been designed for people on foot. It was, after all a footbridge.
Let
me explain:
The
Millennium Bridge was the first new crossing of the River Thames in
over 100 years. People could cross by foot from the Globe Theatre and
the Tate Modern over to the City of London School and St. Paul's
Cathedral, or vice versa.
However,
the builders used computer software typical for a car bridge in
designing this footbridge. People walking and cars driving are
different sorts of movements, and the bridge developed an unexpected
“wobble” that caused people to walk “in step” with one
another (without meaning to), and the people walking in step with one
another caused the wobble to increase!
This
was not only unexpected, it was potentially dangerous. The bridge was
closed, and structural damping was added. The bridge was re-opened in
2002.
So,
even though the bridge had been designed to hold up to 5,000 people
at one time, just 2,000 people actually walking on the bridge
(which, after all, was the whole point) became very
uncomfortable...more of a “white knuckle ride” than we want to
experience in a bridge!
But
don't worry. Next time you go to London, feel free to use the
Millennium Bridge – it's all fixed now!
Also
on this date:
Abolition of Slavery Day in French Guiana
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