08/16

Time to build a bridge

Working for 2 years in New London, I had a unique opportunity to photograph the Connecticut River Railroad Bridge that connects Old Saybrook to Old Lyme (shown below). This is a great example of a still functioning piece of American infrastructure built in 1907 that is now over a hundred years old. According to Amtrak, the 1,500-foot steel rolling lift span structure, is "nearing the end of its useful life." This particular bridge (similar to seven others along the CT shoreline) is a truss bridge with a bascule (or drawbridge) design that swings upward to provide clearance for boat traffic. I am sure in 1907 the bridge was state of the art, with a suitable and efficient design that met and probably exceeded the functional and environmental requirements at the time. Now it needs to be replaced.

Bridges can be used as a metaphor for pretty much anything in life. Connecting people, places, communities... A quick Google search for "bridge quotes" returns endless examples, both inspirational and motivational, that offer context and perspective for any situation. My favorite is this quote, "Only while on the bridge are you able to observe both sides...where you came from and where you’re headed." With so many new ways of thinking, working and communicating in digital and social contexts, experience in my opinion becomes more and more valuable. In this new digital landscape, it is nice to be able to stand on the bridge and look both ways, that is before the bridge gets replaced.