Arizona man topples Royal Gorge Bridge's lofty claim

The world’s highest suspension bridge — it’s been a claim to fame for the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park in Cañon City for 80 years.

Except it’s not true, says an Arizona man with a laser range-finder and a lot of time on his hands. And it hasn’t been true for seven years, he says.

Eric Sakowski has traveled the globe measuring bridges for the Web site he created, highestbridges.com. It’s an obsession that took the laid-off filmmaker to China, where he says a flurry of bridge construction has produced several that eclipse Royal Gorge in height.

“I’ve always been into structural things,” said Sakowski, 44. “I realized no one had ever made a Web site or done research on what were the highest bridges in the world after the Royal Gorge Bridge.”

Not that he has anything against Royal Gorge. He remembers seeing it while on vacation in 1976, and being awed by its height and beauty.

Built in 1929 as a tourist destination, spanning the deep canyon of the Arkansas River, it was thought to be 1,053 feet above the water. In a state where attractions love superlatives — the highest paved road, the largest ski resort — the bridge’s owners have made much about their extreme claim, on signs, billboards, advertisements and their Web site.

For Sakowski, the bridge was a good starting point for his research. He stood on it in 2005 and pointed his range finder at the bottom. He was shocked to discover it was 955 feet to the river below, 98 feet less than had been claimed.

But more surprises awaited as he traveled the world.

“What I didn’t expect to discover, within a few short years, is that there were several bridges that were unknown to the outside world that were being constructed, mostly in China, that were actually higher than the Royal Gorge Bridge,” he said.

Many bridges have been built in China’s mountainous southwest, so Sakowski went there twice, measuring bridges, visiting libraries and looking at plans..

The Royal Gorge’s title was first taken in 2003 when the Chinese completed the Beipanjiang River Bridge, a 1,200-foot-high suspension bridge. The highest suspension bridge in the world, completed last year at 1,550 feet, spans China’s Siduhe River.

Sakowski’s not trying to be a royal pain for the Royal Gorge Bridge. He just wants to set the record straight. Range-finders aren’t cheap — his cost $600 — but he can’t believe nobody ever measured.

“It was meant to make money off of tourists. I think they said, ‘Hey, we’re almost at 1,000 feet. Why don’t we just fudge it because it sounds good?” he said.

Contacted Tuesday, Royal Gorge Bridge spokeswoman Peggy Gair said she knew about Sakowski’s research. Last month, an Arizona newspaper called after interviewing him.

After that call, Royal Gorge officials measured the bridge themselves and discovered it is 969 feet to the water. As for the long-held 1,053-foot claim, Gair said that probably came from measuring to the top of the bridge’s towers.

“As far as we know, we’re sticking with our 1,053 feet over the river,” she said. There are no plans to take down the “highest bridge” advertisements.

“I imagine we can still call ourselves the highest suspension bridge in America, and North America, and one of the highest in the world,” she said.

Actually, Sakowski has found a bridge in Mexico that, when completed in 2012, will go 1,280 feet into the sky.

“We’ll still be the highest bridge in America, and one of the highest in the world,” Gair said.

And the Royal Gorge can still claim the “longest single-span aerial tram,” “the world’s steepest incline railway” and “the world’s scariest Skycoaster.”

But look out. Sakowski's second passion is roller coasters.