Clyde Arc
| Clyde Arc | |
| Lanarkshire | |
|---|---|
 The Clyde Arc from the east | |
| Location | |
| Carrying: | Motor vehicles cyclists and pedestrians |
| Crossing: | River Clyde |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NS57236503 |
| Location: | 55°51’26"N, 4°16’57"W |
| Structure | |
| Main span: | 315 ft |
| History | |
| Built 2006 | |
| Information | |
The Clyde Arc is a road bridge spanning the River Clyde in Glasgow, connecting Finnieston, near the Clyde Auditorium and SECC with Pacific Quay and Glasgow Science Centre in Govan. A prominent feature of the bridge is its innovative curved design and the way that it crosses the river at an angle. The Arc is the first city centre traffic crossing over the river built since the Kingston Bridge was opened to traffic in 1969.
The bridge was named the "Clyde Arc" upon its official opening on 18 September 2006. It has been previously known as the "Finnieston Bridge" or the "Squinty Bridge".[1]
Design
The bridge was designed by the Halcrow Group and built by Kilsyth-based civil engineering company Edmund Nuttall. Piling works for the bridge were carried out from a large floating barge on the Clyde, whilst the bridge superstructure was fabricated offsite. The bridge-deck concrete-slab units were cast at an onsite pre-casting yard. Planning permission was granted in 2003 and construction of the bridge began in May 2005. It was structurally completed in April 2006. The bridge project cost an estimated £20.3m.[2] The Bridge is designed to last 120 years.[3]
The bridge has a main span of 315 ft with two end spans of 120 ft. The design of the main span features a steel arch. The supports for the main span are located within the river with the abutments located behind the existing quay walls. The central navigation height at mean water height is 17 ft 8 in.
It was officially opened on 18 September 2006 by Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell, although pedestrians were allowed to walk across it the previous two days as part of Glasgow's annual "Doors Open" Weekend.
The bridge connects Finnieston Street on the north bank of the river to Govan Road on the southern bank. The bridge takes four lanes of traffic, two of which are dedicated to public transport and two for private and commercial traffic. There are also pedestrian and cycle paths. The new bridge was built to provide better access to Pacific Quay and allow better access to regeneration areas on both banks of the Clyde. The bridge has been designed to cope with a possible light rapid transit system (light railway scheme) or even a tram system.
The bridge is the first part of a development project planned to regenerate Glasgow, including the £40m Tradeston Bridge.
See also
Outside links
References
- ↑ "Evening Times" [1]. 2006. Accessed 18 September 2006.
- ↑ "Road Traffic Technology" [2]. 2006. Accessed Sept 18th, 2006.
- ↑ "Public will not foot bridge bill". BBC News. 2008-01-25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7208575.stm. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
| Bridges and crossings on the River Clyde | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Govan–Partick Bridge | Millennium Bridge | Bell's Bridge | Clyde Arc | Kingston Bridge | Tradeston Bridge | George V Bridge |