Fairfield Bridge, Tied-arch bridge in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Fairfield Bridge is a reinforced concrete tied-arch bridge over the Waikato River, 139 metres long. It has three arches, each 40 metres long and 7.9 metres above the road at their highest point, carried on two wide concrete piers in the water. The road is 6.1 metres wide, with 1.5-metre footpaths on both sides.
Construction began in 1934 and was completed in 1937, with Stanley Jones from Auckland serving as the designer. Over the following decades, the structure required major restoration work to address material deterioration.
The bridge takes its name from the Fairfield suburb on the east bank. During foundation work an excavator uncovered a burial cave in the riverbank holding the preserved heads of several Māori. The Great Race rowing event starts just north of the bridge, and crews pass beneath its arches.
The deck carries a 6.1 m roadway with 1.5 m footpaths on each side, so walking across takes only a few minutes. The bridge links River Road on the east bank with Victoria Street on the west, and it was closed for three weeks in January 2011 for maintenance.
The Great Race starts just north of the bridge, and rowers pass beneath its arches during the event. In 2009 Jonathan Bennett rode a motorcycle over the arches for a YouTube stunt; he was fined $500 and lost his licence for six months.
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