Why are so many bridges "DOT Green"?
Dave Simpson
On another thread there was a discussion about the Pulaski
Skyway, and in this discussion the issue of the color that a
bridge can be painted (black, flat black, white, pink, etc.)
was raised.
It led me to wonder: Why are so many bridges painted "DOT
Green," a medium green? And are there official guidelines a
transportation department must use when choosing a color (if
there is any choice)?
When I lived in Washington state, I noticed bridges in the
western part of the state were "DOT Green," while at least one
bridge, if I recall, on the bone-dry eastern side of the Cascade
Range was tan. The tan color made the bridge more harmonious
with its surroundings. (I regretted that on the western side
of the Cascade, filled with large, dark evergreen trees, a shade
of green darker than "DOT Green," particularly forest green,
wasn't chosen.) And with many bridges I've felt it was a shame
the concrete wasn't colored along with metal.
What are the requirements, if any, on the colors chosen for
bridges?
Dave Simpson
(Any cable-stayed bridge in a gritty city like Newark, NJ,
can feature a color scheme that fits in: the cable stays
could be painted such that the colors form alternating
bands of white and [aviation] red. It's jarring compared
to dark gray, but also fits in with a "bold utilitarian
look." *grin*)
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Denny
Dave Simpson <dave.l.simp...@lmco.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:29699190...@usw-ex0102-015.remarq.com...
>
> On another thread there was a discussion about the Pulaski
> Skyway, and in this discussion the issue of the color that a
> bridge can be painted (black, flat black, white, pink, etc.)
> was raised.
>
> It led me to wonder: Why are so many bridges painted "DOT
> Green," a medium green? And are there official guidelines a
> transportation department must use when choosing a color (if
> there is any choice)?
>
> When I lived in Washington state, I noticed bridges in the
> western part of the state were "DOT Green," while at least one
> bridge, if I recall, on the bone-dry eastern side of the Cascade
> Range was tan. The tan color made the bridge more harmonious
> with its surroundings. (I regretted that on the western side
> of the Cascade, filled with large, dark evergreen trees, a shade
> of green darker than "DOT Green," particularly forest green,
> wasn't chosen.) And with many bridges I've felt it was a shame
> the concrete wasn't colored along with metal.
>
> What are the requirements, if any, on the colors chosen for
> bridges?
>
>
> Dave Simpson
I think the restrictions are being lighten, or changed. I see plenty of
bridges in Central Ohio that are being repainted right now as either a sky
blue or earthtone beige. And I've seen just about every color of the
rainbow for bridge colors along the PA Turnpike nowadays (blue, green,
yellow, red, beige, and grey to be exact).
But they all used to be either DOT green or masonry grey.
--
Sandor G
"I'm not from here" - President of the OSU Geography Club
"I Just live here." - Middle of Nowhere, Ohio
-- James McMurtry
"Rocks are my pillow
The cold ground my bed
Highway is my home" -- Magic Slim
Garrett Wollman
Dave Simpson <dave.l.simp...@lmco.com.invalid> wrote:
> What are the requirements, if any, on the colors chosen for
>bridges?
I'm not sure. I do remember, however, hearing about a study which
recommended that highway overpasses (i.e., bridges over highways) not
all be painted the same color. The idea was that this would help
avoid ``tunnel vision'' for drivers on long stretches of depressed
freeway. This has been put into practice on the Massachusetts
Turnpike Extension; between exits 16 and 21 there are overpasses
painted grey, blue, green, brown, and red (not necessarily in that
order).
-GAWollman
--
Garrett A. Wollman | O Siem / We are all family / O Siem / We're all the same
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ad...@interlog.com
> I think the restrictions are being lighten, or changed. I see plenty of
> bridges in Central Ohio that are being repainted right now as either a sky
> blue or earthtone beige. And I've seen just about every color of the
> rainbow for bridge colors along the PA Turnpike nowadays (blue, green,
> yellow, red, beige, and grey to be exact).
> But they all used to be either DOT green or masonry grey.
And don't forget "Cor-Ten Rust"...
Jim Guthrie
"Dave Simpson" <dave.l.simp...@lmco.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:29699190...@usw-ex0102-015.remarq.com...
>
> On another thread there was a discussion about the Pulaski
> Skyway, and in this discussion the issue of the color that a
> bridge can be painted (black, flat black, white, pink, etc.)
> was raised.
>
> It led me to wonder: Why are so many bridges painted "DOT
> Green," a medium green? And are there official guidelines a
> transportation department must use when choosing a color (if
> there is any choice
Could it be the same reason that elephants wear green socks?
As you know, they do this so they can hide out from hunters in pool rooms.
</groan>
Seriously, there are three philosophical reasons to pick bridge colours:
1. the paint is to protect the underlying surface from rust, so use
something that will last and is cheap: Black, grey (which is usually made
out of the remains of paint mixing runs in factories - my mom used to do
this in a large plant), red (iron oxide), white/silver (lead, aluminium).
2. the paint is to blend into the surroundings so that the bridge is
concealed. (green, tan, etc.)
3. the paint is to set off the bridge so that you can see it (red, orange,
stripes, etc.) This is especially common when the bridge is over navigable
waters or on an airway. Some bridges in urban areas are given striking
colours so that they can become landmarks. Our Dawson Bridge was purple for
a while.
Dave Simpson
Jim Guthrie wrote:
> Our Dawson Bridge was purple for a while.
Aieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...
What about lavender and chartreuse for the Pulaski Skyway?
(Just kidding.)
I know what we can do with the Pulaski, though. No, not
billboards on the sides of it. Keep it black, but paint
little yellow smiley faces on it.
(Again, just kidding. I like the black. It's nice and
Darth Vaderish and makes the Pulaski fit right in with its
surroundings. Black or gray are perfect colors for Gritty
Cities.)
Dave Simpson
Gene Janczynskyi
choice of blue. Most bridges are concrete. The yellow stay cables on the
> Sunshine Skyway are a notable exception. Perhaps this is different in the Big
Bend / Panhandle area.
>
The Jersey barriers on the Midpoint Bridge and it's overpasses are painted
beige. Every bridge are concrete, except those that have drawbridges, and those
that have Jersey barriers are painted white.
--
"The band isn't naked. Our school color is transparent."
-- Steven Wright
Gene Janczynskyi
in Cape Coral, FL
rvdroz
Sunshine Skyway are a notable exception. Perhaps this is different in the Big Bend / Panhandle area.
Happy Motoring! _________
Robert V. Droz ( us...@earthlink.net ) |______|_\__
U.S. Highways : From US 1 to (US 830) |______|_|__\
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James Lin
news:3958...@champ.gov.edmonton.ab.ca...
> Seriously, there are three philosophical reasons to pick bridge
> colours:
[snip]
> 3. the paint is to set off the bridge so that you can see it (red,
> orange, stripes, etc.) This is especially common when the bridge is
> over navigable waters or on an airway. Some bridges in urban areas
> are given striking colours so that they can become landmarks. Our
> Dawson Bridge was purple for a while.
The U.S. Navy wanted the Golden Gate Bridge painted with yellow and black
stripes for that reason. Thankfully, they lost.
- Jim
--
James Lin
jl...@ugcs.caltech.edu
http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~jlin/
Monte Castleman
>> Green," a medium green? And are there official guidelines a
>> transportation department must use when choosing a color (if
>>
>I think the restrictions are being lighten, or changed. I see plenty of
>bridges in Central Ohio that are being repainted right now as either a sky
>blue or earthtone beige. And I've seen just about every color of the
>rainbow for bridge colors along the PA Turnpike nowadays (blue, green,
>yellow, red, beige, and grey to be exact).
>But they all used to be either DOT green or masonry grey.
>
Here in Minnesota, they seem to have gotten away from the "DOT green" thing.
In the 80's, a medium brown was the favorite color, and now a dark gray seems
to be popular. The 35E parkway has bridges, gantries, guardrails, and
lamposts all the same color brown. In contrast, the interchanges around the
Mall of America have brightly colored bands, although they are on concrete,
and purely decorative.
I saw a documentery on the Discovery Channel a few months ago on the
distinctive color of the Golden Gate Bridge. Seems it was originally supposed
to be painted a "standard" bridge color, like blue or grey. However, the
steel came with a reddish rust-proof coating. People liked the looks of it
once assembled, and so they had paint made up in the same color.
Monte Castleman
Bloomington, MN
to email, remove the "q" from my address
'Jaguar' James Allen
Matthews - Red
Hart - Green
Main St. - Blue
OLD Acosta - Orange (torn down)
NEW Acosta - White, but has purple lights on the Skyway Express track that
you can see at night
RR Bridge (next to Acosta) - Brown (probably rusty)
Dames Point - White, but has lights at night (I think they're green? or
multicolored)
OLD Fuller Warren - Green
NEW Fuller Warren - White for now, I'm not sure if they are going to recolor
it
There's a pretty neat park (I think it's called Cancer Survivor's Park) on
State St. in downtown near the FCCJ campus there that had models of all the
bridges in Jax down to sidewalk size, so you can walk across them.
I'm gonna have to get a picture of that place one of these days.
'Jaguar' James Allen jagua...@yahoo.com .--')
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[snip]
http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~jlin/
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