The Humber Bridge

Under the topic of AngloArchitecture, we'd like to tell you about a bridge. Now in America we always think of the Golden Gate Bridge as a very large, amazing piece of architecture. True, when it was built in the 1930s it was quite an accomplishment and remains an American symbol to this day. In Great Britain, they have their own architectural achievement as well in the world of suspension bridges.

Across the Humber River, an estuary formed from the rivers Trent and Ouse, sits the Humber Bridge. Connecting the East Riding of Yorkshire with North Linconshire, it is the 5th largest single span suspension bridge in the world, making it longer than the Golden Gate Bridge. It held the record for the longest in the world for 16 years when it was first built.

Humber Bridge North Tower and footpath.

Work on the bridge didn't begin until 1972 and was first opened to drivers in 1981. The construction itself was quite an accomplishment as builders ran into many difficulties during the build that slowed production. The ground underneath the river in which the foundations of one of the towers was to be set was uneven, and they also experienced leaks as well. You can read up about the entire construction of the bridge on their website. http://www.humberbridge.co.uk/index.php

View of the Humber River from the Humber Bridge walkway.

Today more than 120,000 vehicles, commercial and private, cross the bridge weekly, and if you fancy a walk feel free to cross the bridge on foot!