We visited Grand Canyon while in US in 2005. It excited me. The nature with time has created this fascinating wonder that can keep alluring the people visiting it. I just loved to just have the wonderful views in the evening and the morning of the day.

The news of the creation of a massive glass-bottomed walkway to the edge of the Grand Canyon is a great for the tourists.

A private developer has constructed the $30 million Skywalk in hopes of luring tourists to the region. It will open to the public later this month, charging $25 per person in addition to other entry fees. I really envy those who shall get this opportunity to see the bottom from the Skywalk. Some of the engineering aspects of the project are interesting too.

“At 490,000 kg the Skywalk is about as heavy as four Boeing 757 jets stacked on top of each other. It was perched at the canyon’s edge using an elaborate system of pulleys connected to four tractor-trailers.

Underneath, hydraulic “shoes” lifted it above a cement track, rolled it across a bed of metal rods, and set it onto four steel anchors that were drilled deep into the canyon rock. Workers then welded the walkway to the anchors.

While it was pushed out, the walkway was not anchored to the canyon wall. To keep it from tipping over the side, engineers loaded the back end with a half-million pounds of steel cubes as counterweight.

The Skywalk extends about 70 feet over the rim and about 4,000 feet over the canyon floor. It is designed to withstand 160 kph winds and has shock absorbers to keep the walkway from wobbling.”

I don’t know if the Skywalk is an encroachment on the natural creations at Grand Canyon, but it will certainly provide the visitors another attraction to visit it.