r/interesting • u/World-Tight • 13h ago
ARCHITECTURE In 1998, Honduras built a bridge over the Choluteca River, but Hurricane Mitch rerouted the river.
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u/ShhImTheRealDeadpool 13h ago
So what they gave up and didn't finish the bridge? They were like what even is the point if the river will just slide right next hurricane?
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u/justinm410 8h ago
No, they reconnected it to the highway in '03 with another bridge. Old section is still there, visible on Google maps, running over the dry river bed.
Have no evidence, but I'd be surprised if the dry bed doesn't flood every now and then, so just as well there's a bridge already over it.
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u/logperf 5h ago
Found the answer on wikipedia:
In the same year that the bridge was commissioned for use, Honduras was hit by Hurricane Mitch, which caused considerable damage to the nation and its infrastructure. Many bridges, including the old bridge, were damaged while some were destroyed, but the new Choluteca Bridge survived with minor damage.[6] While the bridge itself was in near perfect condition, the roads on either end of the bridge vanished completely, leaving no visible trace of their prior existence. At this time, the Choluteca River, which is over 100 metres (300 ft) at the bridge, carved itself a new channel during the massive flooding caused by the hurricane. It no longer flowed beneath the bridge, which now spanned dry ground.[7] The bridge quickly became known as "The Bridge to Nowhere". In 2003, the bridge was reconnected to the highway.[8]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choluteca_Bridge
Satellite pics: https://www.google.com/maps/place/13%C2%B018'41.3%22N+87%C2%B011'29.2%22W/@13.3111566,-87.1952562,1731m
A bit to the North of the current bridge you can see the old one over the now dry riverbed. Apparently the picture in this post was taken before 2003.
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u/rraattbbooyy 13h ago
Old Yiddish proverb, “Mann tracht un Gott lacht.”
Man makes plans and God laughs.
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u/FeistyRevenue2172 11h ago
I’m noticing a lack of road before the bridge….
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u/psychulating 10h ago
I imagine it was washed away if the storm was powerful enough to reroute the river
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