Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

The High Level Bridge

Monday, 20th March 2006 by Alex

This is the Lethbridge Viaduct, better known as the High Level Bridge in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Crossing the Oldman River valley this steel trestle bridge is up to 96 metres (314 ft) high and 1,624 metres (5,327 feet) long, making it the longest railway bridge in Canada.

Although actually, it seems that some people reckon the Lethbridge Viaduct might be “the longest railroad trestle bridge in the world” or perhaps even “the world’s longest and highest steel railroad bridge”. I couldn’t verify any of this, but its definitely got a very cool shadow ;-)

There’s more about the Lethbridge Viaduct at Wikipedia where they have an interesting photo of the bridge being built, and they link to a cool ground level photo too.

Thanks to Jackson, Quinn Kuiken, John Fleming and Rob Carlson.

7 Responses to 'The High Level Bridge'

  1. 1. Jonathan says:

    That’s a great optical illusion. It looks like the track as a steep climb at either end, but from the ground level shots you can see it’s completely level. It’s because the ground on which the shadow is cast falls away quite uniformly.

  2. 2. Richard says:

    Not really a ground level shot - looks like it’s taken from fairly near the top. http://static.flickr.com/24/48639718_c91e055623_b.jpg gives a better impression with the trees on the valley floor for comparison.

    What is most amazing about the bridge is that the city is at the level of the bridge deck, and you really don’t know the bridge or the valley are there until you reach the edge of the city.

  3. 3. Quinn Kuiken says:

    Wow… took a while to get this posted!

    I walked across the bridge last year - suffice to say, it most certainly is still in use, and I don’t recommend duplicating my little excursion.

  4. 4. Tim says:

    Richard- compared with the satellite photo it sure as heck is a ground level shot. So, I think that’s what they mean. Anyways, the photographer was standing on the ground, even though the ground he chose to stand on was near the top.

    But, berating aside, I like your photo too.

  5. 5. Gabe says:

    “She wrote me a letter as big as a phonebook
    I’ve never been big on mail
    I sent her a postcard from somewhere near Lethbridge
    And wondered if it still went by rail”

  6. 6. Kim Siever says:

    The High Level Bridge is in the middle of the city. If you go to the edge of the city as Richard suggests, you will have gone much too far.

  7. 7. Ann says:

    Beautiful bridge! Probably with a lot history!!!

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