Fact Sheet

About the Suspension Bridge

• On June 5, 1929 construction began on the world's highest suspension bridge of that time. 
• Construction was completed in November 1929.
• During construction, Lon P. Piper was president of the Royal Gorge Bridge and Amusement Company, George F. Cole was the chief engineer and project superintendent.  O.F. Copes was the north side construction superintendent,  Fred Rice was the south side construction superintendent, and O.K. Peck served as consulting engineer throughout the construction project
• Length: 1,260 feet (384 meters)
• Width: 18 feet (5 meters)
• Main Span: 880 feet (268 meters)
• Towers: 150 feet high (46 meters)
• 2,100 strands of No. 9 galvanized wire
• Weight of cables: 300 tons
• 1,000 tons of steel in the floor of Bridge
• Walkway: made of 1,292 planks of deck; about 250 are replaced annually
• Original cost to build: $350,000 with a cost today of about $20 million
• Bridge will support in excess of two million pounds
• Listed on the National Historic Register

About America's longest single-span Aerial Tram
• Built in 1968 at a cost of $350,000
• Length: 2,200 feet (671 meters)
• Height above Arkansas River: 1,178 feet (359 meters)
• Power: direct current motor
• Auxiliary gasoline emergency standby engine
• Maximum speed: 11.4 mph
• Capacity of cabin: 35 passengers
• Track cables weigh over seven tons each
• More than two miles of cables utilized in tramway system
• Safety: wind-warning gauges working at all times; tram will not operate during severe weather or gusty winds


About America's steepest Incline Railway
• Construction began in 1930 and completed in 1931
• Length of incline: 1,550 feet (473 meters)
• 100% grade, 45-degree angle
• Powered by Otis Elevator with a completely automatic SCR drive system
• Standby emergency diesel engine
• Maximum speed: 11.4 mph
• Rate of descent: 3 mph
• Weight of cars: 4,500 lbs.
• Travel time: 5.5 minutes each way
• Same engineering and construction crews that built the Bridge
• Safety: 19 manually operated stopping devices, also equipped with automatic governor to stop each car
• Listed on the National Historic Register


About the world's scariest Skycoaster
• Constructed and opened in 2003
• Height: 100 feet
• Height above the Arkansas River: 1,200 feet
• Riders: one to three people harnessed in per ride
• Speed: riders reach speeds of up to 50 mph
• Safety: tower and equipment inspected daily; will not operate during severe weather or winds over 40 mph. Minimum height to ride the Skycoaster is 46"