Glen Canyon Bridge / Cableways

Glen Canyon Bridge, 865 feet downriver from the dam, was the highest steel-arch bridge in the United States when completed, with a roadway 700 feet above the surface of the Colorado River. Construction began in early 1957 and was completed in 1959. The bridge provided a way for workers, equipment, and supplies to cross the canyon during construction of the dam and powerplant, and it now serves as a link for U.S. Highway 89, connecting Arizona and Utah. During construction of the dam and powerplant, cableways were the easiest way to move heavy equipment, concrete, and generator parts to the bottom of the canyon. Huge woven cables carried the weight, but despite their size and seeming durability, the cables had to be replaced every eight months.

Arizona · United States