• North to Alaska By RV 2021
    Good look at the jacks used to raise the damaged 4th span back into place — Million Dollar Bridge.
    Looking across the Million Dollar Bridge — Alaska.One of the plaques showing the date the bridge was built ... 1910 — Million Dollar Bridge, AK.Childs Glacier from the Million Dollar Bridge, AK.The two icebreakers that are supposed to protect the two piers of the Million Dollar Bridge, AK.Grey/black sections are the repaired sections on the repaired fourth span — Million Dollar Bridge.Historic photo showing passengers on a train excursion @ the Million Dollar Bridge.Historic photos of the other end of the railway in Kennecott, AK.View of the Million Dollar Bridge with the 4th span at the far side of the Copper River.Childs Glacier and the Million Dollar Bridge as we make our way to our next stop.Crossing under the Million Dollar Bridge.

    Million Dollar Bridge

    July 14, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    After leaving Childs Glacier, Lucas drove us across the Miles Glacier Bridge — aka the Million Dollar Bridge — and we walked back across it. Along the way, Lucas told us a bit about the history of the bridge. He pointed out how an iceberg in 2016 sent the icebreaker protecting the first pier of the bridge off kilter, leaving it unprotected. He also showed us the repaired sections of the bridge that have yet to be painted.

    I found the bridge and its history quite fascinating. Here’s a bit more about it.

    Back in the early 1900s, after copper was found in Kennecott, the owners of the mine needed a means for transporting the ore 196 miles to Cordova to load on ships bound for smelting facilities in Tacoma, Washington. To that end, they built rail access between the mill town and the port town. The Million Dollar Bridge, was a part of the rail system and served to carry trains over the Copper River.

    In 1958, 20 years after the mine in Kennecott shut down, work began to convert the train bridge to a road bridge. The idea was to connect Cordova by road to the rest of Alaska. Alas, the Good Friday Earthquake of 1964 put paid to those plans when the fourth span of the bridge slipped off its foundation.

    In 2004, the damaged span was jacked up and repaired. The bridge continues to be maintained as its collapse into the Copper River would not only mean there would be no chance of Cordova ever getting a road link, but it also would cause an environmental disaster since the original paint on the bridge has a heavy lead content.

    Alas, access to the bridge is currently by jetboat only because of a washed out bridge around mile 36 of the Copper River Highway and damage to the road around mile 45.    Read more