40 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com BY MARY COY One of the most iconic images in Charleston, if not the entire Lowcountry, the Ravenel Bridge has been featured in movies, television shows, magazines, books, a record album cover, countless photographs and even a video game. None of that should be surprising. The majestic structure complements the beauty of the rivers and saltwater marshes, affording a view unlike any other. It’s more than just a way to get from one side to the other; it’s a destination in itself. The Ravenel Bridge, which turned 20 this year, replaced two aging bridges: the John P. Grace (or the “old Cooper River Bridge”), built in 1929, and the Silas M. Pearman (aka the “new bridge”), built in 1969. Both of those bridges were also icons – the Grace for providing a death-defying (some say thrilling) driving experience and the Pearman for offering a reversible lane whenever needed. But when driving on either, the goal was to get over them as quickly and safely as possible. The experience is forever etched into the memory of anyone who crossed the twin bridges – and still causes some to quake. When the Ravenel Bridge was completed in 2005, the entire bridge, including the traffic lanes, was open to pedestrians for two days before automobiles were permitted to cross. That gave people a unique opportunity to enjoy the view without the distraction of vehicular traffic, and for many, to confront the fears that still lingered from crossing the two previous bridges. Now, with traffic whizzing by just feet away, pedestrians and bicyclists flock to the special lane on the bridge, made just for them, to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the harbor. Even commuters can’t help but take a quick glimpse at the Ravenel Bridge spans 20 years of travel Pillar of Beauty
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