December 15, 1967 – Silver Bridge collapse

It was rush hour on this day in 1967 when the Silver Bridge that spanned the Ohio River between Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio collapsed. The disaster took 46 lives, two of the victims were never recovered. In the wreckage of the eyebar bridge it was found that a 0.1 inch (2.5 mm) deep defect in one of the eyebars caused the collapse. Further analysis showed the bridge, which opened in 1928, was carrying heavier loads that it had been designed for. In wake of the tragedy legislation was created that required the regular inspection and analysis of bridges across the United States, ensuring safer roadways for commuters.