I’ve got 20,000 popsicle sticks and I’ve done some tests.
First, here are the rules:
1. Your bridge must span 15 inches. That means it needs to be a bit longer than 15 inches. The popsicle sticks are 4 inches long so you’ll need a bridge that is 4 popsicle sticks or more long. You will use hot glue and get 1000 popsicle sticks. There will be lots of teams and so it wouldn’t hurt to bring your own glue guns and glue.
2. You will have 30 minutes to complete your bridge. In reality, some teams will have more time as we test the first bridgets
3. When you are done, you will put your bridge between to bricks spaced 15 inches apart and then you will put a scale on top of your bridge and then you will start to stand on it, calling out the amount of pounds that it can hold. If someone on your team can stand on your bridge, each person on your team will get an issue of craft or make. If there are more winners than magazines, I’ll collect emails from your team and send out digital editions.
4. You need not be a structural engineer to play, this is for anyone who likes to make things.
5. There may be more rules if they make sense at the time.
Here’s what I learned from messing around with popsicle sticks for 1/2 hour with my brother:
You are going to be on a team and someone on your team needs to come with a plan. I finished 1/3 of a bridge in 30 minutes. My brother made 1/5 of a bridge in 30 minutes. His is the shorter one with an awesome overlapping design. How many people should you have on your team? I suggest at least three. Be friendly to people who come alone and join your team, they may be the missing link that give you an edge.
Above all the goal is to have fun, I’ll see you there at 6:30!
Ignite Seattle 
Wow! This is SO COOL! I’ve seen this done, on a slightly larger scale, at our local university. Teams of engineering students build bridges across a REAL stream that winds through the campus. And then stand on it. Video is religiously taken of what happens next — and shown at end-of-year-parties! I have often thought this would be a good corporate team building program but shied away from the ‘suits’ getting their suits and skirts wet. (Or worse.) But your miniture bridge building idea would work perfectly!
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where is the next bridge building contest we would like to be in your contest
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wats up me and ma homies wanna sign up for ur competition. i wanna build a big bridge that goes like ” boom boom slik slik” if u dony knoww hat that means thta means i want a bridge thats awesome and very strong.
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well my class is building bridges and we i mean i want to tell u that were doing that project and we are going to see who is better i have to say that those bridges that are on this website arnt to good in my opinion u and all the other people may have liked them
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well my class is building bridges and we i mean i want to tell u that were doing that project and we are going to see who is better i have to say that those bridges that are on this website arnt to good in my opinion u and all the other people may have liked them well i hope next time i go on this website to put better ridges well who ever u r use that brain bye ! 🙂
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I love this idea it will be fun to do with my grand children
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