Forth Road Bridge
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The Forth Road Bridge is a road suspension bridge over the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, to the west of the Forth Bridge.
A toll must be paid to cross the bridge in the northbound direction. Southbound travel is free, as is travel in both directions by cyclists and pedestrians.
History
After establishing the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board (FRBJB) in 1947, the UK government finally gave approval for construction of the bridge in 1958. A suspension bridge, it was designed by two firms of consulting engineers, Mott, Hay and Anderson and Freeman Fox & Partners. Its construction cost £11.5m, and when it was completed in 1964 (it was officially opened on 4 September) it was the longest bridge of its kind outside the United States of America. Its central main span is 1006m long; the two side spans are each 408 metres long.
In 2001, the structure became a Category A listed structure which is defined as of "national or international importance, or little altered examples of a particular period, style, or type".
In 2003, a £1.2 million inspection programme was launched to assess the condition of the bridge's cables, after excessive corrosion was discovered in a number of bridges in the United States of a similar design, size, and era.
May 2005. Due to the fact that the bridge now carries double the weight of traffic than it was originally designed for, it is estimated that its original design lifespan of 120 years has been more than halved. It may have to be closed as early as 2015 due to the severe stress the traffic loading has on the bridge and internal corrosion of the steel cables. An additional Forth crossing is planned.
Ferry
Prior to the bridge, ferries have provided a means of transportation since the 11th century. Car ferries that crossed the Firth of Forth between North Queensferry and South Queensferry ceased to operate once the bridge opened.
Toll as at 01/05/2005: £1.00
External links
- Bridges Visitor Centre Trust - Home Page (http://www.forthbridges.org.uk)
- Forth Estuary Transport Authority (http://www.feta.gov.uk/webpages/aboutbridge.php)de:Forth Road Bridge