Swing bridge
Ancestor:	Truss bridge, cantilever bridge
Related:	Other moving types: Bascule bridge, drawbridge, jetway, lift bridge, tilt bridge
Descendant:	Gate-swing bridge - see Puente de la Mujer
Carries:	Automobile, truck, light rail, heavy rail
Span range:	Short
Material:	Steel
Movable:	Yes
Design effort:	Medium
Falsework required:	No

A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring at or near to its center, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration below. A truss bridge is a Bridge composed of connected elements (typically straight which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response A cantilever bridge is a Bridge built using Cantilevers structures that project horizontally into space supported on only one end The Bascule Bridge is a paved one-lane highway bridge in Westport, Massachusetts, USA. A drawbridge is a type of Movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a Castle. The word “jetway” is sometimes used for a high-altitude airway. A vertical lift bridge or lift bridge is a type of Movable bridge in which a span rises vertically while remaining parallel with the deck A tilt bridge is a type of Moveable bridge which rotates about fixed endpoints rather than lifting or bending as with a Drawbridge. The Puente de la Mujer ( Spanish for "Woman's Bridge" is a Footbridge in the Puerto Madero district of Buenos Aires, Argentina Falsework consists of temporary structures used in Construction to support spanning or arched structures in order to hold the component in place until its construction is sufficiently A movable bridge is a Bridge that moves to allow passage for (usually boats or barges Small swing bridges as found over canals may be pivoted only at one end, opening as would a gate, but require substantial underground structure to support the pivot.

In its closed position, a swing bridge carrying a road over a river or canal, for example, allows road traffic to cross. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there Canals are artificial channels for water There are two types of canals water conveyance canals which are used for the conveyance and delivery of water and Waterways When a water vessel needs to pass the bridge, road traffic is stopped (usually by traffic signals and barriers), and then motors rotate the bridge approximately 90 degrees horizontally about its pivot point.

Advantages

Swing Bridge for pedestrians, in motion with ferry approaching, at Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. See also Merchant ship A ferry is a form of transport usually a Boat or Ship, used to carry (or ferry) passengers and The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in the historic heart of Cape Town 's working harbour is South Africa's most-visited destination having the highest rate of foreign

• As this type requires no counterweights the complete weight is significantly reduced as compared to other moveable bridges.
• Where sufficient channel is available to have individual traffic directions on each side the likelihood of vessel-to-vessel collisions is reduced.
• The central support is often mounted upon a berm along the axis of the watercourse, intended to protect the bridge from watercraft collisions when it is opened. This artificial island forms an excellent construction area for building the movable span as the construction will not impede channel traffic. Span is a section between two intermediate supports eg of a beam or a Bridge.

Disadvantages

Government Bridge across the Mississippi has a swing section for river traffic traversing Lock and Dam 15. The Government Bridge, or Arsenal Bridge spans the Mississippi River connecting Rock Island Illinois and Davenport Iowa. The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to Lock and Dam No 15 is a lock and Dam located on the Upper Mississippi River.

• The central pier forms a hazard to navigation.
• Where a wide channel is not available a large portion of the bridge may be over an area that would be easily spanned by other means.
• A wide channel will be reduced by the center pivot and foundation.
• When open, the bridge will have to maintain its own weight as a balanced double cantilever, while when closed and in use for traffic the live loads will be distributed as in a pair of conventional truss bridges, which may require additional stiffness in some members whose loading will be alternately in compression or tension. A cantilever is a beam supported on only one end The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and Shear stress. In Architecture and Structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight slender members whose Physical compression is the result of the subjection of a material to Compressive stress, resulting in reduction of Volume. In Physics String Tension is the magnitude of the pulling force exerted by a string cable chain or similar object on another object
• If struck from the water near the edge of the span, it may rotate enough to cause safety problems (cf. Big Bayou Canot train disaster). The Big Bayou Canot train disaster of September 22, 1993 is the worst Train wreck in the history of the United States passenger railroad

Examples

Pyrmont Bridge, Sydney. The Pyrmont Bridge is a Swing bridge over Cockle Bay in Darling Harbour (part of Sydney Harbour) in Sydney, Australia Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4

Argentina

• Puente de la Mujer, an asymmetrical cable-stayed span. The Puente de la Mujer ( Spanish for "Woman's Bridge" is a Footbridge in the Puerto Madero district of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Australia

• Pyrmont Bridge, Sydney, Australia. The Pyrmont Bridge is a Swing bridge over Cockle Bay in Darling Harbour (part of Sydney Harbour) in Sydney, Australia (opened 1902. Closed to traffic, 1988. Still in use as pedestrian and monorail bridge. )
• Glebe Island Bridge, Sydney, Australia. The ANZAC Bridge or Anzac Bridge (both forms are used by the Roads and Traffic Authority) formerly known as the Glebe Island Bridge, is a large (Opened 1901. Closed to traffic, 1995; supplanted by Anzac Bridge. The ANZAC Bridge or Anzac Bridge (both forms are used by the Roads and Traffic Authority) formerly known as the Glebe Island Bridge, is a large Still in existence. )
• Victoria Bridge,Townsville, Queensland, Australia. (Opened 1914 est. still in use as a foot bridge. )
• The Sale Swing Bridge, Sale, Victoria, Australia. The Sale Swing Bridge, located 5 km from the Victorian City of Sale, spans the Latrobe River at its junction (Opened 1883. Closed to traffic in 2002. Restored to full working order in 2006. )
• Dunalley Bridge, Dunalley, Tasmania Still in use.

Canada

Egypt

• The longest swing bridge span is 340 metres, by the El Ferdan Railway Bridge across the Suez Canal. The El Ferdan Railway Bridge is a Swing bridge that spans the Suez Canal near Ismailia, Egypt. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation

France

• Le pont tournant rue Dieu, across the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, is a distinctive location in the 1938 film Hôtel du Nord, and is featured in the opening shot of the film. Canal Saint-Martin is a 45km long Canal in Paris, France. Geography It stretches from the Square Frédérick Lemaître Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city

Germany

• Kaiser-Wilhelm-Brücke in Wilhelmshaven, built in 1907, with the length of 159m, it was once Europe's biggest swing bridge

The Netherlands

Abtsewoudsebrug in Delft, close the Technische Universiteit Delft, is a bridge of this type. The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Brücke ("Emperor William Bridge" is a Swing bridge in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, and the town's landmark Wilhelmshaven (vɪlhɛlmsˈhaːfən is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. Delft is a city and Municipality in the province of South Holland (Zuid-Holland the Netherlands. The Delft University of Technology ( Technische Universiteit Delft in Dutch) in Delft, the Netherlands, is the nation's largest technical 52°0′5.71″N 4°21′50.10″E / 52.0015861, 4.3639167

India

• Garden Reach Road Swing Bridge, For Calcutta Port, Kidderpore, Kolkata
• Poira -Corjuem Bridge,for GSIDC,Corjuem,Goa by Rajdeep Buildcon Pvt. Ltd.

Ireland

• Seán O'Casey Bridge, Dublin, Ireland
• Michael Davitt Bridge, Co. Seán O'Casey Bridge ( is a Pedestrian drawbridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, joining City Quay in the Grand Canal Docks area to North The Michael Davitt Bridge is a Swing bridge in County Mayo, Ireland that crosses from the Corraun Peninsula to Achill Island. Mayo, Ireland
• Portumna Bridge,Portumna, Co. Portumna ( Port Omna in Irish - meaning 'the landing place of the oak' is a town in the South-East of County Galway, Ireland, on the border Galway, Ireland

New Zealand

• Kopu Bridge, Waihou River, near Thames, New Zealand

United Kingdom

Traffic crossing the Northwich Road swing bridge on the Manchester Ship Canal at Stockton Heath, Warrington

Sulhamstead Tyle Mill swing bridge on the Kennet & Avon Canal - road traffic. The Kopu Bridge is a single Lane Swing bridge that spans the Waihou River, near its emergence into the Firth of Thames in the Thames-Coromandel Thames is a town at the southwestern end of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand 's North Island. The Manchester Ship Canal is a wide long river navigation in North West England, opened on 21 May 1894 Stockton Heath is a village Civil parish and electorial ward located within the unitary borough of Warrington, in Warrington is a large town borough and Unitary authority area in Cheshire, England. Sulhamstead is a Village, electoral district (ward and Civil parish in Berkshire, England. The Kennet and Avon Canal is a Canal in southern England The name may refer to either the route of the original Kennet and Avon Canal Company, which linked the

Sulhamstead Tyle Mill swing bridge - opening.

Sulhamstead Tyle Mill swing bridge - canal traffic.

• Connaught Crossing in London Docklands, built as a low-rising swing bridge to allow marine traffic in the Royal Docks to pass at a place when the proximity of London City Airport meant a higher fixed bridge was not practicable. Docklands is the semi-official name for an area in the east of London, England, comprising parts of several boroughs ( Southwark, Tower Hamlets The Royal Docks comprise three docks in east London - the Royal Albert Dock, the Royal Victoria Dock and the King George V Dock. London City Airport is a single-runway Airport, intended for use by STOL (Short Take Off and Landing Airliners and principally serving the financial

• Manchester Ship Canal at Latchford, Stockton Heath and Lower Walton in Warrington, and also slightly further west at Moore. The Manchester Ship Canal is a wide long river navigation in North West England, opened on 21 May 1894 Latchford is a Suburban District and electoral ward of the unitary borough of Warrington, in Cheshire, England Stockton Heath is a village Civil parish and electorial ward located within the unitary borough of Warrington, in Walton is a civil parish within the Borough of Warrington in Cheshire, northern England. Warrington is a large town borough and Unitary authority area in Cheshire, England. Moore is a Village and a Civil parish in the borough of Halton, a Unitary authority in the Ceremonial county of Cheshire Near the eastern end of the canal in Salford, the Barton swing bridge is adjacent to the Barton Swing Aqueduct - a 234-foot, 800-tonne trough holding some 800 tonnes of water (retained by gates at either end) swings so that it is at right angles to the Bridgewater Canal to allow ships to pass up the Ship Canal. Salford lies at the heart of the City of Salford, a Metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. The Barton Swing Aqueduct is a moveable Aqueduct in Barton upon Irwell in Greater Manchester, England. The Bridgewater Canal is a Canal in North West England, connecting Runcorn, Manchester, and Leigh.

• Swing Bridge, River Tyne at Newcastle Upon Tyne. The Swing Bridge over the River Tyne connects Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne, between the Tyne Bridge and the High Level Bridge Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England The Tyne swing bridge has an 85. 7 metre cantilevered span with a central axis of rotation able to move through 90° to allow vessels to pass on either side of it.

• Trowse Bridge at Norwich. Trowse swing bridge is a single-track railway bridge which carries the Great Eastern Main Line over the River Wensum just outside Norwich in the United History Roman The Romans had their regional capital at Venta Icenorum on the river to the south which is near modern-day Caistor St Edmund Carries the electrified Great Eastern Main Line over the River Yare. The Great Eastern Main Line ( "GE") is a major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street station in the The River Yare is a River in the English county of Norfolk. In its lower reaches the river connects with the navigable waterways of The Broads It is the only overhead electrified swing bridge in the country.

• Barmouth Bridge - rail
• Beccles swing bridge - rail
• Bethells Swing Bridge
• Goole swing bridge - rail
• Hawarden Railway Bridge - rail (now deactivated). The Barmouth Bridge ( Welsh: Pont Abermaw) is a single-track largely wooden railway viaduct that crosses the estuary of the Afon Mawddach river on the coast Bethells Bridge, a Swing bridge on the Driffield Navigation in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Hawarden Bridge is a Railway Bridge over the River Dee, near to Shotton, Flintshire, Wales.
• Leeds and Liverpool Canal Has a large number of swing bridges, especially between Bingley and Skipton and Burscough and Liverpool. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a Canal in the north of England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Bingley is a Market town in the Metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, in West Yorkshire, England. Skipton (also known as Skipton-in-Craven) is a Civil parish and historic Market town in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Many are manually operated, carrying only farm tracks, but a significant number carry road traffic and are mechanised for boater operation.
• Kennet and Avon Canal at Sulhamstead, Berkshire
• Oulton Broad swing bridge - rail
• Reedham swing bridge - rail
• Selby swing bridge - rail
• Somerleyton swing bridge
• Sutton Bridge swing bridge
• Caernarfon swing bridge

United States

• Bridgeport Swing Bridge, Bridgeport, Alabama (demolished in late 1970s, replaced with new span)
• Bridge No. The Kennet and Avon Canal is a Canal in southern England The name may refer to either the route of the original Kennet and Avon Canal Company, which linked the Sulhamstead is a Village, electoral district (ward and Civil parish in Berkshire, England. Berkshire (ˈbɑːkʃə or /ˈbɑːkʃɪə/ say Baak-shuh/-sheer sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a Home County in the South Bridgeport is a small city in Jackson County, Alabama, United States. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. 1397, Route 156 over the Niantic River, East Lyme, Connecticut-Waterford, Connecticut (1921 steel swing bridge)
• Bridge No. Route 156 is a Connecticut state highway running from East Haddam to Waterford. East Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. Waterford is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. 4455, Central Avenue over Lewis Gut, Bridgeport, Connecticut (1924 steel swing bridge)
• Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Bridge crossing the Columbia River, Portland, OR
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• Curtis Creek Rail Bridge, Baltimore, Maryland
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• Center Street Bridge, Cleveland, Ohio (1901)
• East Haddam Bridge, Route 82 over the Connecticut River, East Haddam, Connecticut (1913)
• Fort Madison Toll Bridge
• Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, Washington, DC
• Figure Eight Island Bridge, North of Wilmington, North Carolina
• Government Bridge on the Mississippi River between Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois (1896)
• Grand Haven GTW RR Swing Bridge Connecting Grand Haven & Ferrysburg, MI
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• Grosse Ile Toll Bridge and nearby Wayne County Bridge, Grosse Ile, Michigan
• I Street Bridge, Sacramento, California
• Livingston Avenue Bridge, Albany, New York
• Middle Branch of Patapsco River Rail Bridge, near Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
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• Mathers Bridge, Connecting Merritt Island, Florida to Indian Harbour Beach, Florida across the Banana River
• New Richmond Swing Bridge, near Fennville, Michigan
• Norfolk Southern Railway (former Conrail) Bridge crossing the Maumee River, Toledo, Ohio
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• The 2,800 ft Norfolk Southern Railway Bridge crossing the Ocmulgee River in Lumber City, Georgia built 1916. Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state The East Haddam Bridge is a steel movable ( swing) Truss bridge composed of two main spans crossing the Connecticut River between Haddam Connecticut Route 82 is an east-west State highway in Connecticut running for 28 The Connecticut River is the largest River in New England, flowing south from the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire, along the border East Haddam is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The Fort Madison Toll Bridge (also known as the Santa Fe Swing Span Bridge for the old Santa Fe rail line is a tolled swinging Truss bridge The Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge otherwise known as the South Capitol Street Bridge carries South Capitol Street over the Anacostia River in Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Wilmington is a city in and the County seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The Government Bridge, or Arsenal Bridge spans the Mississippi River connecting Rock Island Illinois and Davenport Iowa. The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to Davenport is a City along the Mississippi River in the American state of Iowa. Rock Island is a City in and the County seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The Grosse Ile Toll Bridge is a Swing bridge that crosses the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River connecting Grosse Ile Township Michigan The Wayne County Bridge is a Swing bridge that crosses the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River connecting Grosse Ile Township Michigan Grosse Ile Township is a Civil township of Wayne County in the U The I Street Bridge is a historic metal truss Swing bridge located on I Street in Sacramento California crossing the Sacramento River connecting The Livingston Avenue Bridge is a railroad Bridge over the Hudson River connecting Albany New York and Rensselaer New York. Albany is the Capital of the State of New York and the County seat of Albany County. The Patapsco is a River in central Maryland which flows into the Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore Maryland. The Camden Yards Sports Complex is located in Baltimore Maryland. Mathers Bridge is located on the southern tip of Merritt Island, Florida at the end of State Road 3 /County Route 3 Merritt Island is a Census designated place in Brevard County, Florida, United States. Indian Harbour Beach is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The Banana River is a Lagoon that lies between Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island in Brevard County Florida in the USA. The New Richmond Swing Bridge, also known as The Fifty-Seventh Street Bridge, is a one lane Swing bridge in Michigan Fennville is a city in Allegan County in the US state of Michigan. This article is about the present railroad formed in 1990 For the former regional railroad in Virginia and North Carolina a small part of the new one see Norfolk Southern Consolidated Rail Corporation, also known as Conrail, began operations on April 1, 1976 as a federally funded takeover of the major railroad The Maumee River is a River in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. This article is about the city in Ohio, USA. For Toledo Spain, see that article This article is about the present railroad formed in 1990 For the former regional railroad in Virginia and North Carolina a small part of the new one see Norfolk Southern The Ocmulgee River (ok-MUHL-gee is a tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km long in the U Lumber City is a city located in Telfair County Georgia. As of the 2000 census the city had a total population of 1247 "Note- Electrical Swing Components Removed"
• North Fork New River Bridge, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Northern Avenue Bridge over Fort Point Channel in Boston, Massachusetts (1908 steel truss)
• Omaha Road Bridge Number 15, an asymmetrical single track railroad bridge over the Mississippi River between Saint Paul, Minnesota and Lilydale, Minnesota (1916)
• Pennsylvania Railroad's Shellpot Branch over Christina River in Wilmington, Delaware (original two-track bridge replaced with a single track bridge in 2003)
• Pennsylvania Railroad's South Philadelphia Branch over Schuylkill River
• Providence & Worcester railroad bridge, Middletown, Connecticut
• Riverside-Delanco Bridge over Rancocas Creek in New Jersey
• Saugatuck River Bridge (Bridge No. Fort Lauderdale, known as the "Venice of America" due to its expansive and intricate Canal system is a city in Broward County, Florida, Fort Point Channel is a channel (of water separating South Boston from downtown Boston Massachusetts, feeding into Boston Harbor. Omaha Road Bridge Number 15 is a Swing bridge that spans the Mississippi River in St The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to Saint Paul ( abbreviated St Paul) is the capital and second most populous city in the U Lilydale is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Railroad, founded in 1846 The Shellpot Branch is a former Pennsylvania Railroad / Penn Central through-freight railroad owned and operated by Norfolk Southern since its acquisition The Christina River is a Tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles (56 km long in northern Delaware in the United States Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Railroad, founded in 1846 The Schuylkill River, most often ˈskuːkəl ("SKOO-kull" is a river in the U The Providence and Worcester Railroad Bridge is a swing Truss bridge crossing the Connecticut River in Middletown Connecticut. Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the south-central part of the state 16 miles (26 km The Riverside-Delanco Bridge is a Truss bridge with a central swing span that carries County Route 543 across the Rancocas Creek, between Rancocas Creek is a Tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 30 mi (48 km long in southwestern New Jersey in United States New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. 1349), Route 136 over the Saugatuck River, Westport, Connecticut (1884 iron-truss swing bridge)
• Spokane Street Bridge over the Duwamish Waterway in Seattle, Washington (1991 reinforced concrete double swing span)
• St. Joseph Swing Bridge over the St. Joseph River, St. Joseph, Michigan (1904)
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• Surf City Bridge Surf City, NC
• Union Pacific Railroad (former CNW) Bridge crossing the Mississippi River, Clinton, Iowa
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• Seven bridges over the Harlem River in New York City, including from south to north:
  • Willis Avenue Bridge
  • Third Avenue Bridge
  • Madison Avenue Bridge
  • 145th Street Bridge
  • Macombs Dam Bridge
  • University Heights Bridge
  • Spuyten Duyvil Bridge

See also

• Movable bridge for a list of other movable bridge types

References