Swing bridge

Swing bridge
Ancestor Truss bridge, cantilever bridge
Related Other moving types: Bascule bridge, drawbridge, jetway, vertical-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, usually at or near to its center of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right. 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 or railway over a river or canal, for example, allows traffic to cross. 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 horizontally about its pivot point. The typical swing bridge will rotate approximately 90 degrees, or one-quarter turn; however, a bridge which intersects the navigation channel at an oblique angle may be built to rotate only 45 degrees, or one-eighth turn, in order to clear the channel.

Advantages

BNSF Railway bridge across the Columbia River in Portland, Oregon, showing the swing-span section turning.

Disadvantages

An example of how small swing bridges like this one may be pivoted only at one end, but that does require substantial underground structure to support the pivot. Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town.

Examples

Albania

Argentina

Australia

Belize

Canada

Bridge Name Waterway Co-ordinates Status Comments
Cambie Street Bridge Connaught Bridge False Creek, Vancouver, British Columbia 49°16′19″N 123°6′54″W / 49.27194°N 123.11500°W / 49.27194; -123.11500 (Cambie Street Bridge) Demolished/replaced (1985), formerly vehicle, pedestrian & streetcar traffic Short documentary "Swingspan" tells the history of the bridge and its demolition.
Canso Canal Bridge Canso Canal, Nova Scotia 45°38′50″N 61°24′45″W / 45.64722°N 61.41250°W / 45.64722; -61.41250 (Canso Swing Bridge) Still swings, Vehicle/Rail Traffic Links Nova Scotia mainland with Cape Breton Island
CNR Bridge Fraser River, British Columbia 49°11′09″N 122°55′55″W / 49.18583°N 122.93194°W / 49.18583; -122.93194 (CNR Bridge) Still swings, Rail Traffic Between Queensborough in New Westminster, British Columbia and the mainland
Derwent Way Bridge Fraser River, British Columbia 49°11′09″N 122°55′55″W / 49.18583°N 122.93194°W / 49.18583; -122.93194 (Derwent Way Bridge) Still swings, Vehicle/Rail Traffic Between Queensborough in New Westminster, British Columbia and Annacis Island in Delta, British Columbia
Fredericton Railway Bridge Fredericton, New Brunswick 45°57′25″N 66°37′43″W / 45.95694°N 66.62861°W / 45.95694; -66.62861 (Fredericton Train Bridge) No longer swings, pedestrian traffic. Constructed in 1887 and opened 1889. Last train on the bridge was on 1996.
Hog's Back Bridge Rideau Canal, Ottawa, Ontario 45°22′11″N 75°41′54″W / 45.36972°N 75.69833°W / 45.36972; -75.69833 (Hog's Back Bridge) Still swings, Vehicle Traffic This bridge swings from one end. There is an adjacent fixed bridge over Hog's Back Falls
Iron Bridge Third Welland Canal, Thorold, Ontario 43°08′15″N 79°10′38″W / 43.13750°N 79.17722°W / 43.13750; -79.17722 (Iron Bridge) No longer swings, Rail Traffic Carrying the CNR Grimsby Subdivision over the third Welland Canal.
Kaministiquia River Swing Bridge Kaministiquia River, Thunder Bay, Ontario 48°21′31″N 89°17′15″W / 48.35861°N 89.28750°W / 48.35861; -89.28750 (Kaministiquia River Swing Bridge) No longer swings. Road and rail traffic only. Currently closed due to October 29, 2013 fire [1] Built in 1908 by Grand Trunk Railway; currently owned by the CNR
Little Current Swing Bridge North Channel, Little Current, Ontario 45°58′48″N 81°54′50″W / 45.98000°N 81.91389°W / 45.98000; -81.91389 (Little Current Swing Bridge) Still swings, Vehicle Traffic (formerly rail) Built by Algoma Eastern Railway, 1913
Montrose Swing Bridge Welland River, Niagara Falls, Ontario 43°02′45″N 79°07′11″W / 43.04583°N 79.11972°W / 43.04583; -79.11972 (Montrose Swing Bridge) No longer swings, Rail Traffic Formerly Canada Southern Railway, now CPR
Moray Bridge Middle Arm of the Fraser River, Richmond, British Columbia 49°11′30″N 123°08′13″W / 49.19167°N 123.13694°W / 49.19167; -123.13694 (Moray Bridge) Still swings; Eastbound Vehicle Traffic Connects Sea Island, Richmond, BC (location of Vancouver International Airport) to Lulu Island, Richmond, BC
New Westminster Bridge Fraser River, British Columbia 49°12′29″N 122°53′38″W / 49.20806°N 122.89389°W / 49.20806; -122.89389 (New Westminster Bridge) Still swings, Rail Traffic, formerly had 2nd deck for vehicles Between New Westminster and Surrey.
Pitt River Bridge Pitt River, British Columbia 49°14′52″N 122°43′44″W / 49.24778°N 122.72889°W / 49.24778; -122.72889 (Pitt River Bridge) No longer swings, Vehicle Traffic Twin side-by-side bridges connecting Port Coquitlam, British Columbia to Pitt Meadows, British Columbia
Pitt River Railway Bridge Pitt River, British Columbia 49°14′42″N 122°44′01″W / 49.24500°N 122.73361°W / 49.24500; -122.73361 (Pitt River Bridge) Still swings - Rail Traffic (Please Contribute)
Wasauksing (Rose Point) Swing Bridge South Channel, Georgian Bay, near Parry Sound, Ontario 45°18′54″N 80°2′40″W / 45.31500°N 80.04444°W / 45.31500; -80.04444 (Wasauksing Swing Bridge) Still swings, Vehicle Traffic (formerly rail) Links Wasauksing First Nation (Parry Island) to the mainland at Rose Point
Welland Canal, Bridge 15 Welland Recreational Waterway, Welland, Ontario 42°58′37″N 79°15′21″W / 42.97694°N 79.25583°W / 42.97694; -79.25583 (Welland Canal, Bridge 15) No longer swings, Rail Traffic Built by Canada Southern Railway, ca. 1910. Now operated by Trillium Railway
Welland Canal, Bridge 20 Approach Span 2nd and 3rd Welland Canal, Port Colborne, Ontario 42°53′14″N 79°14′58″W / 42.88722°N 79.24944°W / 42.88722; -79.24944 (Welland Canal, Bridge 20 approach) No longer swings, Abandoned (formerly rail) Abandoned 1998 when adjacent Vertical lift bridge was dismantled.
Bergen Cut-off Bridge Red River, Winnipeg, Manitoba 49°56′49″N 97°5′53″W / 49.94694°N 97.09806°W / 49.94694; -97.09806 (Bergen Cut-off Railway Bridge) Centre span permanently in open position, allowing unrestricted river traffic Decommissioned CPR railway bridge (last used in 1946)
Superstructure built by Dominion Bridge Co. 1913-1914

Egypt

El Ferdan Railway Bridge in Egypt; the longest swing bridge in the world, runs from the east of the Suez canal to the west into Sinai. It is left open most of the time to allow sailing ships to pass in the canal, only closing during the passage of trains.
The "Abtswoudsebrug", a swing bridge for bikers and pedestrians built in 1979
Poira-Corjuem Bridge, Goa.

France

Germany

India

Ireland

Italy

Ponte Girevole San Francesco di Paola in Taranto

Latvia

The Netherlands

The "Abtsewoudsebrug" in Delft, close to the Technische Universiteit Delft, is a bridge of this type. 52°0′5.71″N 4°21′50.10″E / 52.0015861°N 4.3639167°E / 52.0015861; 4.3639167

There's another one on the channel between Ghent (Belgium) and Terneuzen (The Netherlands) at Sas Van Gent.[4]

Many inner cities have swing bridges, since these require less street space than other types of bridges.

New Zealand

(n.b. "swing bridge" in New Zealand refers to a flexible walking track bridge which "swings" as you walk across[5])

Panama

Ukraine

United Kingdom

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

In the UK, there is a legal definition in current statute as to what is, or is not a 'swing bridge' [7]

United States

The former Chincoteague Channel Swing Bridge in Chincoteague, Virginia, now demolished.

The largest double swing-span bridge in the United States is the 3,250 feet (990 m) long, 450 feet (140 m) navigable span, 60 feet (18 m) clearance George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge.[9]

A swing bridge near Belle Glade, Florida
Navigation Locks Bridge, Bonneville Dam

Vietnam

See also

References

  1. "Burned bridge fate in CN's hands, officials say". CBC.ca. 31 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  2. "Photograph of the Ponte Girevole (Taranto, Italy) while fully open" (JPG). Cityofart.net. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  3. "Apertura Ponte Girevole Taranto". YouTube. 2008-04-16. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  4. "Draaibrug over het kanaal Gent-Terneuzen bij Sas van Gent". Beeldbank Zeeland Seaports. 1977-08-01. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  5. Walkway swingbridge manual / prepared and finalised by S. Chiet ... [et al.] Published by : New Zealand Forest Service, Wellington [N.Z.] : 1986.
  6. "History". Kyivdiprotrans Institute. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  7. Highways Act 1980. London: HMSO. 1980.
  8. "Shotton Steelworks - general scenes". Archived from the original on January 11, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  9. "BUILDING BIG: Databank: George P. Coleman Bridge". Pbs.org. 1995-05-13. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  10. Wood Wortman, Sharon; Wortman, Ed (2006). The Portland Bridge Book (3rd Edition). Urban Adventure Press. pp. 119–120. ISBN 0-9787365-1-6.
  11. "Google Maps". Maps.google.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
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  14. http://www.hendryfla.net/county_engineer/historic_fort_denaud_swing_span_bridge.php
  15. "Bridge: GTW Grand Haven Swing Bridge". Michiganrailroads.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  16. "International Railroad Bridge". Buffaloah.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  17. "Google Maps". Maps.google.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  18. 1 2 Amtrak Moveable Bridge Smart Card
  19. "Google Maps". Maps.google.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  20. "Photo: NS 9869 Norfolk Southern GE C40-9W (Dash 9-40CW) at Toledo, Ohio by Matt Smith". Railpictures.net. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  21. "Google Maps". Maps.google.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  22. "North Landing Bridge (Mt. Pleasant Rd)".
  23. "Google Maps". Maps.google.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  24. https://www.visitnc.com/listing/historic-s-swing-bridge
  25. "West Seattle Connection: World's Only Hydraulically Operated Double-Leaf Concrete Swing Bridge" (PDF). City of Seattle Engineering Department. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  26. "Freight - Q324 Crosses the St. Joseph River on a wonderful may evening - Railroadfan.com Photo Gallery". Railroadfan.com. 2007-06-09. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  27. "Photo: UP 8007 Union Pacific EMD SD9043MAC at Clinton, Iowa by Eric Salter". Railpictures.net. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  28. "Photo: UP 3806 Union Pacific EMD SD70M at Clinton, Iowa by Eric Salter". Railpictures.net. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  29. "Google Maps". Maps.google.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
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