Editing Ralph Modjeski (section)

{{Short description|Polish-American civil engineer (1861–1940)}}
{{more footnotes|date = March 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| image         = Rudolf.Modrzejewski.1931.jpg
| image_caption = Modjeski in 1931
| birth_name    = Rudolf Modrzejewski
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1861|1|27}}
| birth_place   = [[Bochnia]], [[Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria|Galicia and Lodomeria]], [[Austrian Empire]]
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1940|6|26|1861|1|27}}
| death_place   = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
| citizenship   = Austria (1861–1883)<br>United States (1883–1940)
| known_for     = Building many [[suspension bridge]]s throughout the United States
| notable_works = {{ubl|[[Benjamin Franklin Bridge]]|[[Manhattan Bridge]]|[[Ambassador Bridge]]|[[San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge]]}}
| mother        = [[Helena Modjeska]]
| awards        = {{ubl|[[Howard N. Potts Medal]] (1914)|[[Franklin Medal]] (1921)|[[Member of the National Academy of Sciences|Membership of NAS]] (1925)|[[John Fritz Medal]] (1930)}}
}}
'''Ralph Modjeski''' (born '''Rudolf Modrzejewski'''; {{IPA|pl|mɔˈdʐɛjɛfskʲi|lang}}; January 27, 1861 – June 26, 1940) was a Polish-American [[civil engineer]] who achieved prominence as "America's greatest bridge builder."

He furthered the use of [[suspension bridge]]s and oversaw the design and construction of nearly forty bridges that spanned the great rivers of North America, as well as the development of new rail lines. In addition, he trained succeeding generations of American bridge designers and builders, including [[Joseph B. Strauss]], chief engineer of [[San Francisco]]'s [[Golden Gate Bridge]] (which was completed six months after Modjeski's [[San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge]]).