National Harbor, MD
The Capital Wheel at National Harbor
OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH NATIONAL HARBOR CONTINUES WITH THE ICONIC CAPITAL WHEEL ATTRACTION.
General contracting company, Cianbro, approached Sterling Dula in February 2014 with a request for a custom contemporary picket railing system; a railing system not unlike the custom work that our team had created for National Harbor’s common areas in 2009. Although the railing was similar in appearance, the quick turnaround time on this project was a key difference.
In just 3 short months, our engineering, fabrication and installation teams exceeded customer expectations by furnishing over a thousand lineal feet of beautiful, made-to-order railing.
Now open for business, Peterson Companies’ new climate-controlled ferris wheel serves as a centerpiece for the National Harbor development area. The wheel offers breathtaking views of the Potomac River waterfront, the White House, the National Mall, Arlington Cemetery, the City of Alexandria, and so much more.
Some facts about the new wheel:
- Size: 180 Feet Tall (diameter of wheel is 165 feet)
- Visible from the Top of the Observation Wheel: Washington Monument, U.S. Capitol, Alexandria, Prince George’s County
- Number of Climate-Controlled Gondolas: 42 (including 1 VIP Gondola)
- Maximum Number of Passengers: 336 (8 per Gondola)
- Ride Speed: 1.5 rotations per minute
- Lighting: 1.6 million LED lights, fully programmable, with a spectrum of 16.7 million colors
Other Cities with Observation Wheels: London, Seattle, Niagara Falls, Brisbane, Perth, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Malacca Island, Pigeon Forge and Myrtle Beach.
