Two Things Challenge: Over / Under

Key Bridge over the Potomac River

This week's Two Things Challenge was Over / Under. I chose as my subject Key Bridge. Located at the northern end of Georgetown, Key Bridge was built between 1917 and 1923 by the Army Corps of Engineers and connects the District of Columbia on the northern side with the Commonwealth of Virginia on the southern side. Named for Francis Scott Key, author of "The Star-Spangled Banner", it is one of five bridges that cross the Potomac into the District from Virginia and vice versa.

Standing under Key Bridge, looking up

In addition, to the north of Key Bridge is Chain Bridge. South of Key Bridge is Roosevelt Bridge, Memorial Bridge, and the 14th Street Bridge. According to Wikipedia, when Key Bridge is congested, as it often is, some people refer to it as the "Car Strangled Spanner." I think that's a great name for it, but it hasn't really caught on. Shame really. A lot of people who work in D.C., but live in Virginia, walk home along this beautiful bridge. Unlike other bridges in the U.S., which are a magnet for the suicidal, this one is relatively lacking in notoriety. Occasionally someone will take a dive off of it, but thankfully it's quite rare.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 08/08