General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge
General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge | |
|---|---|
The through-arch portion during twilight in 2005. | |
| Coordinates | 30°54′51″N 87°57′49″W / 30.91417°N 87.96361°W |
| Carries | 4 lanes of I-65 |
| Crosses | Mobile-Tensaw River delta |
| Locale | Mobile County / Baldwin County, near Mobile, Alabama |
| Official name | General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge |
| Other name(s) | "Dolly Parton" Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | dual tied through-arch and beam viaduct |
| Total length | 6.08 miles (10 km) |
| Longest span | 800 feet (244 m) |
| Clearance below | 125 feet (38 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1980 |
| Location | |
The General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge, more commonly known locally as the "Dolly Parton Bridge", consists of dual parallel tied through arches of weathering steel and beam viaducts of concrete that form one continuous span carrying four lanes of Interstate 65 across the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta northeast of the U.S. city of Mobile, Alabama. Built from 1978 to 1980, it spans a distance of 6.08 miles (10 km) over the delta, making it, along with the Jubilee Parkway across Mobile Bay to its south, among the longest bridges in the nation. It was named in honor of Walter K. Wilson, a Chief of Engineers with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and long-term resident of Mobile. He was credited with being one of the first people recognizing the need to construct a high-level bridge on Interstate 65 over the Mobile River that would not impede waterway development. The state of Alabama named the bridge in his honor after completion of construction in 1978.