US #5809
2023 Skydance Bridge, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Bridges
- Pictures the Skydance Bridge in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- One of 4 Bridges stamps issued for use by bulk mailers to cover the Presorted First Class Mail Rate
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Bridges
Value: 25¢ Presorted First Class Mail Rate ... more
US #5809
2023 Skydance Bridge, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Bridges
- Pictures the Skydance Bridge in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- One of 4 Bridges stamps issued for use by bulk mailers to cover the Presorted First Class Mail Rate
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Bridges
Value: 25¢ Presorted First Class Mail Rate (Nondenominated)
First Day of Issue: August 24, 2023
First Day City: Portland, Connecticut
Quantity Issued: 20,100,000 OR 600,000,000
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Coils of 3,000 OR 10,000
Tagging: Nonphosphored Type III, Block Tagged
Why the stamp was issued: For use by bulk mail users to cover the Presorted First Class Mail Rate.
About the stamp design: Pictures the Skydance Bridge, a significant landmark to the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, community. Design shows a photograph of the bridge.
First Day City: Issued on August 24th in Portland, Connecticut, not far from the Arrigoni Bridge. There was no official First Day of Issue Ceremony, though the Connecticut Cover Club held an unofficial one at the Brownstone Intermediate School in Portland.
About the Bridges set: Intended for use by bulk mailers to cover the Presorted First Class Mail Rate. Each stamp pictures a different bridge that has become a significant landmark to its local community. Some are modern, others are historic, and they range in use from car-carrying to pedestrian only. All four stamps picture existing photographs of the bridges.
History the stamp represents: Skydance Bridge is a pedestrian bridge and work of art that crosses Interstate 40 and connects downtown Oklahoma City to the shore of the Oklahoma River. The bridge’s design was chosen in a 2008 contest held by city mayor Mick Cornett. The winners were architects Hans and Torrey Butzer who modeled their design after the mating dance of the scissor-tailed flycatcher (Oklahoma’s state bird).
Construction on Skydance Bridge began in August 2011, with the bridge opening to pedestrians on April 23, 2012. The Manhattan Road & Bridge Company completed the work, with the final measurements of Skydance Bridge being 380 feet long, 192 feet tall, and 20 feet wide. It was equipped with programmable LED lights to allow the city to customize how the bridge is illuminated at night. At one point, cost estimates for the bridge were over $12 million, but with some modifications to the design, the final cost was $5.8 million.
In 2012, Americans for the Arts named Skydance Bridge one of the 50 best public art projects in the US as part of its “Public Art Network Year in Review.” Since its construction, Skydance Bridge has become a popular tourist destination. In June 2019, the wood deck of the bridge was replaced with fiberglass, with repairs conducted from 2019 to 2020. With these updates, the bridge should be enjoyed by visitors for years to come.
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