Gribblenation

The better known of the two high bridges (the other being the Hansen Bridge) that cross the Snake River Canyon near Twin Falls, Idaho is the I.B. Perrine Memorial Bridge. Carrying US 93 some 1500 feet across and 486 feet above the Snake River, the Perrine Bridge is the eighth tallest bridge and the fourth highest arch bridge in the United States. Opened in 1976, the distinctive brown arch bridge was a replacement for the 476 foot high Twin Falls Jerome Intercounty Bridge. Locals say the bridge has always been known as the Perrine Bridge because of the man who was instrumental in getting it built. The bridge was originally officially known by a number, Bridge 17-850, but the bridge was officially named for Ira Burton "I.B." Perrine in 2000. Today, more than 32,000 cars, trucks and motorcycles use it every day to travel between Jerome and Twin Falls Counties. The Twin Falls Jerome Intercounty Bridge, which was a colossal 2 lane bridge that was the third highest bridge in th...

Spanning about 350 feet high above the Snake River Canyon in Idaho's Magic Valley is the Hansen Bridge, which is officially known as the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Perhaps not as well known as the Perrine Bridge about 8 miles west in Twin Falls, the Hansen Bridge was where the first crossing of the Snake River Gorge in the Twin Falls area was situated. Located on ID 50 and the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway a few miles north of the small town of Hansen, the current Hansen Bridge was built in 1966 to replace an aging suspension bridge built in 1919 at the same spot. The modern day Hansen bridge has 3 main steel girder spans set atop two of the highest piers ever built in the United States at 338 feet. The central span of the bridge is 258 feet long with two side spans of 200 feet and an approach span of 102 feet. At the time of its completion in 1919, the original Hansen suspension bridge was the highest bridge in North America. Prior to the bridge opening, crossing the Snake ...