Princess of Wales Bridge

Princess of Wales Bridge

Princess of Wales Bridge
Coordinates 54°33′57″N 1°18′26″W / 54.5657°N 1.3072°W / 54.5657; -1.3072Coordinates: 54°33′57″N 1°18′26″W / 54.5657°N 1.3072°W / 54.5657; -1.3072
Carries Teesdale Boulevard
Crosses River Tees, Teesdale Way
Locale Stockton-on-Tees, England, United Kingdom
Official name Princess of Wales Bridge
Preceded by Teesquay Millennium Bridge
Followed by Infinity Bridge
Characteristics
Design Slab and girder
Material Steel plate girders and concrete
Longest span 40 metres (131 ft)
Number of spans 3
Piers in water 2
History
Constructed by Cementation Construction
Construction end 1992
Inaugurated 23 September 1992

The Princess of Wales Bridge is a dual carriageway road bridge carrying the Teesdale Boulevard across the River Tees in Stockton-on-Tees in the Northeast of England. The bridge links on the south bank of the river, Teesdale Business Park in Thornaby-on-Tees to the north bank at the north end of Riverside Road at a gyratory system in Stockton-on-Tees.[1][2] The bridge is sometimes referred to as the Diana Bridge or the Princess Diana Bridge.[1][2][3] The bridge is located down river of, and just outside, Stockton town centre.

Design

The bridge is of a slab and girder design[4] with concrete piers and steel plate girder decking.[1] The bridge has three spans – the centre span is 40 metres with two side spans of 30 metres each.[1][5] The bridge has four steel plate girders with composite concrete decking and the abutments and piers are supported on steel H piles driven to sandstone bedrock.[5]

Construction

The bridge was commissioned by the Teesside Development Corporation[1] and built at a cost of £3 million by Cementation Construction.[1][2][6]

Operation

The bridge was inaugurated on 23 September 1992[2][3][5][6][7] by HRH Princess of Wales.[8] On rare occasions the bridge is closed for fireworks events.

After the death of Diana, Princess of Wales the bridge was fitted with two memorial plaques.[9]

Local facilities

Just downriver of the bridge is the River Tees Watersports Centre hosting watersports such as rowing, canoeing, waterskiing, jet skiing and dragon boat racing.

Princess of Wales bridge from the north bank upriver 
Princess of Wales bridge from the north bank downriver 
Princess of Wales Bridge from the south bank downriver 
River Tees Watersports Centre 

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Princess of Wales Bridge". Bridges on the Tyne. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kenyon, Chris (March 2002). "A Trip up the Tees". Tees Rowing Club. Archived from the original on 12 April 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  3. 1 2 Burluraux, Don (26 April 2001). "Today's walk: Tees Barrage-Stockton Riverside-Newport Bridge". North York Moors CAM. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  4. ↑ Janberg, Nicolas. "Princess of Wales Bridge". Structurae. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 "Bridges over the Tees". Institute of Civil Engineers. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 August 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Building the Princess of Wales Bridge". Picture Stockton. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  7. ↑ Jeffrey, Colin (18 January 2008). "Community: A Little About The Town We Live in.. Stockton-on-Tees". Archived from the original on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  8. ↑ "Court Circular". The Independent. 24 September 1992. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  9. ↑ Delplanque, Paul (16 February 2012). "The Jim Kelley Bridge?". Gazettelive – Remember When. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
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