GRANDVIEW, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Most are aware that the New River Gorge Bridge is the tallest in West Virginia as it sits 876 feet above New River, and is one of the top five tallest bridges in the United States.
One may not be aware that the Mountain State is home to another bridge that is one of the top five tallest bridges in the country.
The 2nd tallest bridge in West Virginia, and tied for 5th tallest in the country, sits 700 feet above Glade Creek in Raleigh County along I-64.
The Phil G. McDonald Memorial Bridge, also referred to as the Glade Creek Bridge is a deck truss bridge that is the highest bridge within the Interstate Highway System. It is 700 feet tall and has a total length of 2,179 feet and a span of 784 feet.
The bridge opened to traffic on July 15, 1988, and was constructed for $29 million. The construction of the bridge was the final part of I-64 to be built in West Virginia. This bridge boasts the title of the “World’s Highest Truss Bridge”.
Phil G. McDonald, whom the bridge is named after, was a West Virginia native who served in the U.S. Army and received a Medal of Honor for his actions in the Vietnam War.
The tallest bridge in the United States is the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado which is 955 feet tall.