The Perrine Bridge that crosses the Snake River in Twin Falls is the most famous bridge in the state of Idaho.  The truss arch bridge carries the U.S. Highway over the Snake River and is 486 feet above the bottom of the canyon.  The bridge has a total length of 1500 feet and spans 993 feet across the canyon.  It provides a vital corridor between Southern and Central Idaho, allowing the transport of people, goods and services to the growing Wood River Valley that houses the Sun Valley Ski Resort.  It also allows for the transport of these items over Galena Summit, 90 miles North, to the Sawtooth Mountains and beyond.  

HISTORY

Named after Twin Falls founder Ira B. Perrine, the bridge opened in 1976. It replaced the Twin Falls-Jerome bridge built in 1927 because of the need to handle heavy trucking loads.  Locals simply call it the Perrine.  The bridge has 4 lanes with sidewalks on both side.  It is a popular tourist destination, and a park and visitor center are located on the southwest side of the bridge to accommodate visitors. 

BASE JUMPING  

One of the most distinctive traits of the Perrine Bridge is that it's the only bridge in the United States where BASE jumping is legal year round without a permit.  BASE jumping off the Perine Bridge first became legal in the early 1990s.  Upwards of 5,000 jumps a year take place.  Twin Falls has become a hot spot to visit for people from all over the world to watch and participate.  Jumpers must climb over the guard rail and launch from an 18 inch wide platform.  After leaping, they're in free fall for 3 seconds before throwing their pilot shoot that pulls a larger shoot from the jumpers pack.  One jump lasts 15 seconds, but the lasting thrill brings people back.  The Twin Falls community has embraced the sport because it brings tourist money to hotels and restaurants. 

Dan Schilling holds the Perrine Bridge's BASE jumping record. In 2006, Schilling jumped off the bridge 201 times in 21 hours to raise money for charity.  Schilling was raised from the bottom of every jump to the top of the bridge by a crane.  Schilling's feat brought new BASE jumpers from all over the world to Twin Falls and the Perrine Bridge.  

EVEL KNIEVEL

The bridge first become well known because of Evel Knievel's famous jump attempt in 1974 while the bridge was still under construction.  The event was televised throughout the country, and locals watched from their rooftops peering through their riflescopes.  Evil Knievel attempted the jump in a rocket-powered cycle known as the Skycycle X-1.  Knievel's courageous jump failed due to a parachute malfunction and opened on take-off.  A monument to Knievel's jump stands at the visitors center at the south end of the bridge.

EDDIE BRAUN

42 years later, in 2016, Hollywood stuntman Eddie Braun successfully recreated the event and landed the "jump".  He named his steam powered rocket the "Evil Spirit" in tribute to his idol.    

Sources:

Evel Knievel's 1974 Snake River jump. (2016, September 15). Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/14/us/gallery/evel-knievel-snake-river-tbt/index.html

Levith, W. (2019, April 6). Stuntman Bests Evel Knievel With Snake River Canyon Jump. Retrieved from https://www.insidehook.com/article/action/stuntman-bests-evel-knievel-with-snake-river-canyon-jump

Moscow-Pullman Daily News. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l9cyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=--8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2899,1108722

Perrine Bridge. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://visitidaho.org/things-to-do/roadside-attractions/perrine-bridge/

Perrine Bridge. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.highestbridges.com/wiki/index.php?title=Perrine_Bridge