Rio-Niterói Bridge

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Rio-Niterói Bridge

The Rio-Niterói Bridge is a reinforced concrete structure that connects the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niterói in Brazil.

Construction began symbolically on August 23, 1968, in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in their first and thus far only visit to Brazil. Actual work begun in January, 1969, and it opened on March 4, 1974.

Its official name is "President Costa e Silva Bridge", in honor of the Brazilian president who ordered its construction. "Rio-Niterói" started as a descriptive nickname that soon became better known than the official name. Today, hardly anyone refers to it by its official name.

The work was done by British construction firms at a cost of approximately US$22 million, financed by British banks. Five workmen died during the construction when a segment of the structure collapsed into the Guanabara Bay.

It is 13,290 m (8.25 miles) long - 8,836 m (5.49 miles) over water - and is referred to as "the national pride of engineering", as it has the highest central span in the world, 72 m (236.22 feet) high, in order to allow passage to the hundreds of ships that enter and leave the bay every month. It carries a daily traffic load of approximately 230,000 vehicles, which pay a toll only when entering Niterói of R$3.40 (as of September 2006), about US$1.60 or €1.20. It has 18 access points and eight overpasses.

Officially it is part of federal highway BR-101.

Since June 1, 1995, it has been under the management of Ponte S.A., under a 20-year concession.