July 4

. The builder claims that the bridge's lifetime will be at least 120 years. The phrase "Fourth of July" has acquired widespread significance in American culture as a reference to the Independence Day celebration in the United States and that celebration's many cultural accoutrements. The project required about 127,000 m³ of concrete, 19,000 metric tons of steel for the reinforced concrete, and 5,000 metric tons of pre-stressed concrete for the cables and shrouds. July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. However, if the concession is very profitable, the French government can assume control of the bridge in 2044. In astronomy, the approximate date of Earth's aphelion. The builders, Eiffage, financed the construction in return for a concession to collect the tolls for 75 years, until 2080.

Filipino-American Friendship Day. The bridge's construction costs amount to €394 million, with a toll plaza 6 km north of the viaduct costing an additional €20 million. United States and Denmark - Independence Day (1776). The engineering group Setec has authority in the project, with SNCF engineering having partial control. 1923). The construction consortium is made up of the Eiffage TP company for the concrete part, the Eiffel company for the steel roadway (Gustave Eiffel built the Garabit viaduct in 1884, a train bridge in the neighboring Cantal département), and the Enerpac company for the roadway's hydraulic supports. 2005 - Hank Stram, American football coach (b. The work leader is the Compagnie Eiffage du Viaduc de Millau, owner of the government contract.

1920). Four consortia were in competition for the building contract:. 2004 - Jean-Marie Auberson, Swiss conductor (b. He worked together with the Dutch engineering firm ARCADIS, responsible for the technical design of the bridge. 1944). The architects of the bridge are the British firm Foster and Partners. 2003 - Barry White, American singer and record producer (b. The original concept for the bridge was devised by French designer Michel Virlogeux.

1912). After the choice of the high viaduct's path, five teams of architects and researchers simultaneously worked on a technical solution. Davis Jr., American general (b. After long construction studies, the low solution was abandoned because it would have intersected the water table, had negative effects on the town, cost more, and the driving distance would have been longer. 2002 - Benjamin O. It consisted of two possibilities: the high solution, and the low solution, requiring the construction of a 200 m bridge to cross the Tarn, then a viaduct of 2300 m extended by a tunnel on the Larzac side. 1934). The fourth option was selected by the government on June 28, 1989.

1997 - Charles Kuralt, American television reporter (b. In initial studies, four options were examined:. 1919). The viaduct was officially inaugurated by President Chirac on December 14, 2004 to open for traffic on December 16, several weeks ahead of the revised schedule. 1995 - Eva Gabor, Hungarian-born actress (b. A revised schedule aimed for the bridge to be opened in January 2005. 1921). Construction began on October 10, 2001 and was intended to take 3 years, but weather conditions put work on the bridge behind schedule.

1992 - Astor Piazzolla, Argentinian composer (b. The Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, United States has a deck considerably higher than either, at 321 m (1,053 ft) above the Arkansas River. 1936). Its deck, at "almost 270 m" (886 ft) above the Tarn, is apparently slightly higher than the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia in the United States, which is 267 m (876 ft) above the New River. Victor Chang, Australian physician (murdered) (b. The Millau Viaduct is the second highest vehicular bridge measured from the roadway elevation. 1991 - Dr. Current plans call for towers 382.6 m high.

1899). The proposed Strait of Messina Bridge in Italy, if constructed would be taller still and would also be the world's largest suspension bridge. 1986 - Oscar Zariski, Russian mathematician (b. The viaduct is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world, nearly twice as tall as the previous tallest vehicular bridge in Europe, the Europabrücke in Austria. 1918). The piers were assembled first, together with some temporary supports, before the decks were slid out across the piers by satellite-guided hydraulic rams that moved the deck 600 mm (23.6 inches) every 4 minutes. 1977 - Gersh Budker, Russian physicist (b. The piers each support 97 m (319 ft) tall pylons.

1895). These sections were assembled on site from pieces of 60 metric tons, 4 m (13 ft) wide and 17 m (56 ft) long, made in factories in Lauterbourg and Fos-sur-Mer by Eiffage. 1976 - Antoni Słonimski, Polish poet and writer (b. Each pier is composed of 16 framework sections, each section weighing 2,230 metric tons. 1902). The piers range in height from 77–246 m (253–807 ft), and taper in their longitudinal section from 24.5 m (81 ft) at the base to 11 m (36 ft) at the deck. 1975 - Georgette Heyer, English author (b. It carries two lanes of traffic in each direction.

1909). The roadway has a slope of 3% descending from south to north, and curves in plan section on a 20 km (12.4 mile) radius to give drivers better visibility. 1971 - August Derleth, American writer and editor (b. The six central spans each measure 342 m (1,122 ft) with the two outer spans measuring 204 m (670 ft). 1905). The roadway weighs 36,000 metric tons and is 2,460 m (8,071 ft) long, measuring 32 m (105 ft) wide by 4.2 m (13.8 ft) deep. 1970 - Barnett Newman, American artist (b. The Millau Viaduct consists of an eight-span steel roadway supported by seven concrete piers.

1881). The bridge was constructed by the Eiffage group, which also built the Eiffel Tower, under a government contract which allows the company to collect tolls for up to 75 years. 1941 - Antoni Łomnicki, Polish mathematician (b. The Eiffage group operates the viaduct as a toll bridge, with the toll currently set at €4.90 for light automobiles (€6.50 during the peak months of July and August). 1867). Many tourists heading to southern France and Spain follow this route because it is direct and without tolls for the 340 km between Clermont-Ferrand to Béziers, except for the bridge itself. 1934 - Maria Skłodowska-Curie, Polish-born scientist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in chemistry and physics (b. The purpose of the A75 is to increase the speed and reduce the cost of vehicle traffic travelling along this route.

1931 - Buddie Petit, American jazz cornetist. The bridge forms the last link of the A75 (la Méridienne) autoroute, providing a continuous high-speed route south from Paris through Clermont-Ferrand to Béziers. 1901). The bridge now traverses the Tarn valley above its lowest point, linking the causse du Larzac to the causse rouge, and is inside the perimeter of the Grands Causses regional natural park. 1926 - Pier Giorgio Frassati, Italian mountaineer (b. Before the bridge was constructed, traffic had to descend into the Tarn River valley and pass along the route nationale N9 near the town of Millau, causing heavy congestion at the beginning and end of the July and August vacation season. 1835). .

1910 - Giovanni Schiaparelli, Italian astronomer (b.
. 1830). It was formally opened on 14 December 2004 and opened to traffic on 16 December 2004. 1905 - Élisée Reclus, French geographer and anarchist (b. Designed by British architect Lord Foster in collaboration with French bridge engineer Michel Virlogeux, it is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world, with one pier's summit at 341 metres (1,118 ft)—slightly higher than the Eiffel Tower and only 40 m (132 ft) shorter than the Empire State Building. 1863). The Millau Viaduct (French: le Viaduc de Millau) is a cable-stayed road bridge that spans the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France.

1902 - Swami Vivekananda, Indian spiritual leader (b. [1]. 1843). Felix Baumgartner became the first person to BASE jump from the bridge on 27 June 2004, shortly after the road deck was completed but well before the bridge was opened. 1901 - Johannes Schmidt, German linguist (b. 2080: Eiffage toll concession runs out. 1809). 2044: French government can assume control of the bridge if the toll concession is very profitable.

Vice President (b. January 10, 2005: initial planned opening date. 1891 - Hannibal Hamlin, U.S. December 16, 2004: opening of the viaduct, ahead of schedule. 1797). December 14, 2004: official inauguration. 1882 - Joseph Brackett, American religious leader and composer (b. 2nd half of 2004: installation of the pylons and shrouds, removal of the temporary roadway supports.

1806). May 28, 2004: the pieces of roadway are several centimeters apart, their juncture to be accomplished within two weeks. 1881 - Johan Vilhelm Snellman, Finnish statesman (b. November 2003: completion of the last piers (Piers P2 at 221 m and P3 at 245 m are the highest piers in the world.). 1786). February 25–February 26, 2003: laying of first pieces of roadway. Marcy, American statesman (b. November 2002: first piers complete.

1857 - William L. September 2002: assembly of roadway begins. 1759). August 2002: start of work on pier support C0. 1850 - William Kirby, English entomologist (b. July 2002: start of work on the foundations of temporary, height adjustable roadway supports. 1768). June 2002: support C8 completed, start of work on piers.

1848 - François-René de Chateaubriand, French writer and diplomat (b. March 2002: start of work on the pier support C8. 1758). January 2002: laying pier foundations. 1831 - James Monroe, 5th President of the United States (b. December 14, 2001: laying of the first stone. 1743). October 16, 2001: work begins.

1826 - Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States (b. 1998: decision to contract out both construction costs and future tolls to a private enterprise. 1735). July 9, 1996: choice of the cable-stayed bridge type. 1826 - John Adams 2nd President of the United States (b. term). 1742). January 10, 1995: declaration of utilité publique (public usefulness), as needed to apply eminent domain(U.S.

1821 - Richard Cosway, English artist (b. October 19, 1991: selection of the high solution, with the viaduct at 2500 m. 1715). June 28, 1989: governmental approval of the middle route. 1787 - Charles de Rohan, prince de Soubise, Marshal of France (b. €4.90–6.50: typical automobile toll, as of 2005. 1712). 10,000–25,000 vehicles: estimated daily traffic.

1780 - Prince Charles of Lorraine, Austrian military leader (b. 290,000 metric tons: total weight of the bridge. 1689). 85,000 m³: total volume of concrete used. 1761 - Samuel Richardson, English writer (b. 32.05 m: width of the roadway. 1680). 4.20 m: thickness of the roadway.

1754 - Philippe Néricault Destouches, French dramatist (b. 270 m: average height of the roadway. 1671). 154: number of shrouds. 1742 - Guido Grandi, Italian mathematician (b. 87 m: height of a pylon. 1623 - William Byrd, English composer. 336 m: height of Pier 2, the tallest (245 m at the roadway's level).

1521). 77 m: height of Pier 7, the shortest. 1603 - Philippe de Monte, Flemish composer (b. 7: number of piers. 1495). 2,460 metre: total length of the roadway. 1541 - Pedro de Alvarado, Spanish explorer (b. the successful bidders, lead by the Eiffage group, product of the Fougerolles-SEA fusion, the third largest French group in public works, and the sixth largest in Europe.

1187 - Raynald of Chatillon, Prince of Antioch (executed). one led by Générale Routière, with Via GTI (French), and Cintra, Necso, Acciona, and Ferrovial Agroman (all Spanish). 965 - Pope Benedict V. Société du viaduc de Millau, made up of ASF, Egis, GTM, Bouygues Travaux Publics, SGE, CDC Projets, Tofinso (all French) and Autostrade (Italian); and. 1995 - María Isabel, Spanish singer. one led by Dragados (Spanish), with Skanska (Swedish) and Bec (French);. 1976 - Daijiro Kato, Japanese motorcycle racer. traverse the middle of the valley.

1974 - La'Roi Glover, American football player. follow the path of Route Nationale 9, providing good access to Millau but at the cost of technical difficulties and intrusion on the town; and. 1973 - Gackt, Japanese singer. bypass Millau to the west (12 km longer), requiring four bridges;. 1967 - Andy Walker, Canadian television personality. bypass Millau to the east, requiring two large bridges over the Tarn and the Dourbie;. 1967 - Vinny Castilla, Mexican Major League Baseball player.

1962 - Pam Shriver, American tennis player. 1961 - Richard Garriott, English video game designer. 1951 - Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, American politician. 1948 - Tommy Körberg, Swedish singer.

1946 - Ed O'Ross, American actor. 1946 - Ron Kovic, American peace activist. 1943 - Geraldo Rivera, American reporter and talk show host. 1943 - Konrad "Conny" Bauer, German jazz trombonist.

1942 - Floyd Little, American football player. 1941 - Brian Willson, American peace activist. 1938 - Bill Withers, American singer and songwriter. 1977).

1931 - Stephen Boyd, Northern Irish actor (d. 1930 - George Steinbrenner, baseball team owner. 1929 - Bill Tuttle, baseball player. - Neil Simon, American playwright.

1927 - Gina Lollobrigida, Italian actress. 1926 - Alfredo Di Stefano, Argentinian footballer. 1924 - Eva Marie Saint, American actress. 1923 - Rudolf Friedrich, Swiss Federal Councilor.

2003). 1921 - Tibor Varga, Hungarian violinist and conductor (d. 2004). 1921 - Gerard Debreu, French-born economist, Nobel Prize laureate (d.

1920 - Norm Drucker, prominent National Basketball Association referee. 1920 - Leona Helmsley, American hotel operator and real estate investor. 1918 - Pauline Phillips (Abigail Van Buren), American advice columnist and twin sister to Ann Landers. 2002).

1918 - Ann Landers, American advice columnist (d. 1947). 1917 - Manolete, Spanish bullfighter (d. 1911 - Mitch Miller, American bandleader and television personality.

1910 - Gloria Stuart, American actress. 1991). 1905 - Irving Johnson, American author and adventurer (d. 1976).

1904 - Angela Baddeley, English actress (d. 1992). 1902 - George Murphy, American dancer, actor, and Senator from California (d. 1983).

1902 - Meyer Lansky, Russian-born mobster (d. this date). 1971) (see article re. 1900 - Louis Armstrong, American musician (d.

1997). Pilar Barbosa, Puerto Rican historian (d. 1898 - Dr. 1981).

1896 - Mao Dun, Chinese writer (d. 1970). 1883 - Rube Goldberg, American cartoonist (d. 1957).

Mayer, American film producer (d. 1882 - Louis B. 1968). Grant III, American soldier and planner (d.

1881 - Ulysses S. 1942). Cohan, American singer, dancer, composer, actor, and writer (d. 1878 - George M.

1933). 1872 - Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States (d. 1906). 1847 - James Anthony Bailey, American circus impresario (d.

1926). 1854 - Victor Babeş, Romanian bacteriologist (d. 1905). 1845 - Thomas Barnardo, Irish humanitarian (d.

1864). 1826 - Stephen Foster, American songwriter (d. 1882). 1807 - Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italian patriot (d.

1864). 1804 - Nathaniel Hawthorne, American writer (d. 1859). 1799 - King Oscar I of Sweden (Joseph François Oscar Bernadotte), French Napoleonic general (d.

1797). 1719 - Michel-Jean Sedaine, French dramatist (d. 1769). 1715 - Christian Fürchtegott Gellert, German poet (d.

1772). 1694 - Louis-Claude Daquin, French composer (d. 1595). 1546 - Murat III, Ottoman Sultan (d.

1367). 1330 - Ashikaga Yoshiakira, Japanese shogun (d. 2005 - The Deep Impact collider hits the comet Tempel 1. 2004 - National Team of Greece won the EURO 2004 Cup 1-0 after the Final against Portugal.

(This was largely a symbolic event; actual construction would not start for several weeks). 2004 - The cornerstone of the Freedom Tower is laid on the site of the World Trade Center in New York City. 2002 - A Prestige Airlines cargo Boeing 707 crashes just short of the runway in Bangui, Central African Republic killing 25. The gunman is shot and killed by a security officer.

2002 - Three people are shot at the El Al check-in booth at Los Angeles International Airport. 1998 - Lin "Spit" Newborn and Daniel Shersty are murdered by neonazis in the desert just outside Las Vegas. 1997 - NASA's Pathfinder space probe lands on the surface of Mars. 1993 - The Argentine national football team defeats mexico to win the Copa América 1993 in Guayaquil.

1987 - In France, former Gestapo chief Klaus Barbie (aka the "Butcher of Lyon") is convicted of crimes against humanity and is sentenced to life imprisonment. 1984 - NASCAR driver Richard Petty wins his 200th and final career victory at the Firecracker 400 race. 1982 - Four Iranian diplomats have been kidnapped upon Israel invasion of lebanon. 1976 - The citizens of the United States celebrate their country's bicentennial.

1976 - Israeli commandos raid Entebbe airport in Uganda, rescuing all of the passengers and crew of an Air France jetliner seized by Palestinian terrorists. The act goes into effect the next year. Johnson signs the Freedom of Information Act into United States law. 1966 - President Lyndon B.

state on August 21, 1959, the 50-star flag of the United States debuts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania almost ten and a half months later (see Flag Act). 1960 - Due to the post-Independence Day admission of Hawaii as the 50th U.S. state earlier in the year, the 49-star flag of the United States debuts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1959 - With the admission of Alaska as the 49th U.S.

1950 - First broadcast by Radio Free Europe. 1946 - After 381 years of colonial rule, the Philippines is granted full independence by the United States. 1941 - Mass murder of Polish scientists and writers, committed by Nazi Germans in captured Polish city of Lwów. 1939 - Lou Gehrig, recently diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, tells a crowd at Yankee Stadium that he considered himself "The luckiest man on the face of the earth" as he announces his retirement from major league baseball.

1934 - Leo Szilard patents the chain-reaction design for the atomic bomb. 1934 - Joe Louis wins his first professional boxing match. 1927 - First flight of the Lockheed Vega. 1918 - Bolsheviks kill Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his family (Julian calendar date).

1918 - Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI ascends to the throne. 1910 - African-American boxer Jack Johnson knocks out white boxer Jim Jeffries in a heavyweight boxing match sparking race riots across the United States. Dole. 1894 - The short-lived Republic of Hawaii is proclaimed by Sanford B.

1881 - In Alabama, the Tuskegee Institute opens. 1865 - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is published. Grant after 47 days of siege. 1863 - American Civil War: Battle of Vicksburg - Vicksburg, Mississippi surrenders to Ulysses S.

1862 - Lewis Carroll tells Alice Liddell a story that would grow into Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequels. 1859 - Franco-Piedmontese War: The Battle of Magenta. 1855 - In Brooklyn, New York, the first edition of Walt Whitman's book of poems titled Leaves of Grass is published. 1845 - Near Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau embarks on a two-year experiment in simple living at Walden Pond (see Walden).

1840 - The Cunard Line's 700 ton wooden paddle steamer RMS Britannia departs from Liverpool bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia on the first transatlantic passenger cruise. 1838 - The Iowa Territory is organized. 1837 - Grand Junction Railway, world's first long-distance railway, opens between Birmingham and Liverpool. 1831 - James Monroe dies on the fifty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

1827 - Slavery is abolished in New York State. 1826 - Fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, on which John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, died. 1817 - At Rome, New York, United States, construction on the Erie Canal begins. 1810 - The French occupy Amsterdam.

1803 - The Louisiana Purchase is announced to the American people. 1802 - At West Point, New York the United States Military Academy opens. 1776 - American Revolutionary War: The Continental Congress approves a Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. 1712 - 12 slaves are executed in New York for starting an uprising that killed 9 whites.

1636 - City of Providence, Rhode Island forms. 1584 - Sir Walter Ralegh first sees the coast of North Carolina. 1187 - Saladin defeats Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, at the Battle of Hattin. Its remnants form the Crab Nebula.

For several months it remains bright enough to be seen during the day. 1054 - A supernova is observed by the Chinese and Amerindians near the star ζ Tauri. 993 - Saint Ulrich of Augsburg canonized.