The bridge's deck is supported by 88 vertical steel cables attached to the arch.
Construction took four years to complete, finishing in 1977.
The total weight of the steel used in the bridge is approximately 22,000 tons.
During construction, workers had to be ferried across the canyon by a cable car system until the bridge deck was joined.
The bridge is the site of Bridge Day, an annual event where the traffic is closed to allow for BASE jumping and rappelling.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.
The structure is specifically engineered to accommodate expansion and contraction due to significant temperature fluctuations in the gorge.
The New River, flowing beneath the bridge, is geologically estimated to be between 3 and 360 million years old.
The New River Gorge Bridge is a steel arch bridge spanning 3,030 feet across the New River Gorge in West Virginia. Completed in 1977, it features a main arch span of 1,700 feet, which was once the longest of its kind in the world. It carries US Route 19, 876 feet above the New River, making it one of the highest vehicular bridges in the United States. The bridge serves as a primary access point for the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The canyon below is carved by the New River, one of the oldest rivers in the world. The bridge structure utilizes Cor-Ten steel, designed to weather to a natural dark brown finish that blends with the surroundings. It remains a key piece of modern civil engineering, facilitating travel between the towns of Fayetteville and Victor.
The Canyon Rim Visitor Center boardwalks offer the most iconic framed views of the arch and the gorge.
Visit the Canyon Rim Visitor Center for exhibits on the bridge's construction and access to boardwalk trails.
Walk the Fayette Station Road to drive or bike down to the river level for a perspective of the bridge from beneath.
Check the National Park Service website for specific dates if you intend to visit during the annual Bridge Day event.
Attempting to walk across the bridge deck outside of the sanctioned annual Bridge Day event, as it is a high-speed active highway.
The bridge is a public highway open year-round, though the adjacent Visitor Center may have seasonal adjustments.
Stay on marked trails and boardwalks to preserve the local ecosystem; do not climb on bridge support structures.
