WA’s Most Expensive Mistake Was a Wobbly Bridge

I was watching one of those old Superman serials from the 1940s and noticed a bridge that was rocking all over the place, and I recognized it immediately. The bridge is in Washington State.

How the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Became a Costly Mistake

I guess I should rephrase that as the bridge WAS in Washington State, at least the original bridge was.

A newer bridge sits in its place, but after the previous bridge lasted only four months, and is remembered as one of Washington State's biggest mistakes and a huge "lemon" that cost the state millions.

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The Tacoma Narrows Bridge that stands today isn't the original bridge. The original bridge, nicknamed "Galloping Gertie," opened on July 1st, 1940, and within four months collapsed due to high winds ripping it apart.

How a Wobbly Bridge in Washington State Earned the Title of “Lemon”

It was a black eye on Washington State but remains the focus of engineering classes today on "what not to do" when building a bridge - even in 2025, it's collapse continues to baffle historians but it's generally considered that the solid sides of the bridge didn't allow for windflow through the bridge.

No lives were lost on its collapse, but a little dog was killed as the owner tried to get them out of the car, and they bit them out of fear.

The original bridge cost $6.4 million in 1940, but in today's money, it would be a loss of $137 million.

Quite an expensive mistake was, as remembered, "Galloping Gertie" all these years later.

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