The Bridge performed perfectly when the tree hit. Both halves opened up and swung to the sides of the creek on the cables. The flood continued to rise and crested just below the top of the piers on which The Bridge had been resting.

Without the tree, there is a chance that The Bridge would have remained in place, albeit a small chance given the amazing force of the water. Still, we were feeling pretty good about our design—not too bad for a non-engineer...

Continued...