Humber Bridge, Suspension bridge in Hessle, England
Humber Bridge is a suspension bridge in Hessle, England, stretching 2220 meters (7300 feet) across the estuary with two concrete towers rising 155.5 meters (510 feet) above the water. The steel structure supports a 28.5-meter-wide (94-foot) deck carrying four traffic lanes and separate pathways for pedestrians and cyclists along each side.
The crossing opened on July 17, 1981, when Queen Elizabeth II cut the ribbon after construction that began in July 1972. The decision to build followed decades of calls for a fixed link across the estuary, which had only been crossed by ferry before.
The name refers to the estuary where the rivers Trent and Ouse meet before flowing into the North Sea. Locals use the walkways for morning runs and bicycle rides across the water, which changes color with the weather and the tides.
Vehicles cross with a speed limit of 80 kilometers per hour (50 miles per hour), while pedestrians and cyclists use the pathways without paying a toll. The walkways remain open in wind and rain, so weatherproof clothing helps when crossing on foot or by bicycle.
The central span between the two main towers measured 1410 meters (4626 feet) at opening and held the world record until 1998. Since then, newer crossings in Japan and China have surpassed that distance, but the scale still impresses when you walk beneath the cables.
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