The International Cable Supported Bridge Operators Association (ICSBOA)

Clifton Suspension Bridge Fact Sheet

				Name
			
				Clifton Suspension Bridge
			
				Location
			
				Avon Gorge, Bristol, UK
			
				Spans the Avon Gorge over the River Avon connecting Clifton in the City of Bristol with Leigh Woods in North Somerset, United Kingdom.
			
				Coordinates
			
				51°27′18″N 2°37′40″W
			
				Construction phases
			
				1836-1843 and 1862-1864
			
				Date opened
			
				8 December, 1864
			
				Design type
			
				Chain supported suspension bridge
			
				Construction cost
			
				Approximately £89,600 (1864)
			
				Designer
			
				1830s:
Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806 - 1859)
			
				1860s:
Willam Henry Barlow (1812 - 1902) and
John Hawkshaw (1811 - 1891)
			
				Type of traffic
			
				Road
			
				Owner/Operator
			
				Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust,
Bridge Road,
Leigh Woods, BS8 3PA
			
				Phone
			
				0117 9731579
			
				Email
			
				office@cliftonbridge.org.uk
			
						Links
					
Read more...

				Traffic
			
				Approximately 4 million vehicle crossings per year
			
				Average annual daily traffic (AADT)
			
						both directions:
					
						Approx. 10,000/day
					
				Lanes
			
				Road lanes per direction:
			
				1
			
				Rail:
			
				0
			
				Pedestrian lane per direction:
			
				1
			
				Cyclist lane:
			
				0
			
				Emergency lane:
			
				0
			
				Road wearing surface type
			
				timber sleepers
			
				Thickness:
			
				12.7 cm / 5 in. thick overlaid by planking 5 cm / 2 in. thick covered with asphalt
			
				Total length of the bridge
			
				anchorage to anchorage 414 m / 1,352 ft
			
				Main span
			
				centre to centre of piers 214 m / 702 ft
			
				Type and height of pylon/tower,Masonry towers
			
				including capping 26.2 m / 86 ft
			
				Type of girder
			
				Cross lattice girders (wrought iron)
			
						H:
					
						9.45 m / 31 ft
					
				Parapet lattice girders (wrought iron with cast iron stanchions)
			
						H:
					
						1.45 m / 4 ft 9 in.
					
				Type of foundation
			
				Chains anchored via land saddles to 18.3 m / 60 ft below ground level, with each chain separated by an anchor plate bedded on a cemented brick arch onto the rockface.
			
				Height: Deck level above high water
			
				75.6 m / 248 ft
			
				Width of bridge (roadway and footways)
			
				9.45 m / 31 ft
			
				Vessel navigation channel
			
						Clearance for vessels:
					
						74.7 m / 245 ft at high tide
					
				Cable structure
			
				Type, dimension etc. of main cable/stay cable
			
				The bridge is suspended using 4,200 wrought metal eyebars arranged in 3 chains on either side of the bridge. The shortest length of the bars where they are horizontal to the bridge at its centre is 7.3 m / 24 ft
			
				Type, dimension etc. of hangers
			
				162 wrought iron suspension rods (81 each side), 5 cm / 2 in. in section varying in length from 19.8 m / 65 ft to 0.9 m / 3 ft
			
				Expansion joints
			
				2
			
						Type
					
						DB joint
					
						Product
					
						Maurer
					
				Bearings
			
				2
			
						Type
					
						sway guide
					
				Extent of inspection and frequency
			
				3-year inspection cycle
			
				Means of funding ongoing costs
			
				Toll

BRISTOL, NORTH SOMERSET, UK

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Opened 8 December, 1864

A distinctive landmark in Bristol, this multi-award-winning suspension bridge carries four million vehicles per year. It is a sightseeing must-see complete with an extensive visitor centre celebrating this turning point in engineering history.

Clifton Suspension Bridge Fact Sheet

Last updated: September 21, 2021

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Contact

Links

Recent News

BRISTOL, NORTH SOMERSET, UK

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Opened 8 December, 1864

A distinctive landmark in Bristol, this multi-award-winning suspension bridge carries four million vehicles per year. It is a sightseeing must-see complete with an extensive visitor centre celebrating this turning point in engineering history.

Clifton Suspension Bridge Fact Sheet

Last updated: September 21, 2021

ICSBOA Membership Spotlight

Angus L. Macdonald BridgeHalifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Thousand Islands International BridgeSt Lawrence River, Canada/USA

Tatara BridgeSeto Inland Sea, Japan

Prince Of Wales BridgeSouth West England / South East Wales

The Farø-Falster BridgeStorstrømmen Strait, Zealand, Denmark

A. Murray MacKay BridgeHalifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Forth Road BridgeScotland, UK

Tamar BridgePlymouth, Devon, U.K.

Akashi-Kaikyo BridgeHyogo, Japan

South Channel BridgeSt Lawrence River, Canada/USA

Governor Mario M. Cuomo BridgeTarrytown, New York, U.S.A.

Mackinac BridgeSt. Ignace and Mackinaw City, Michigan, U.S.A.

Jiangyin BridgeJiangyin, Jiangsu, China

Bear Mountain BridgeFort Montgomery, New York, U.S.A.

Humber BridgeLincolnshire, East Yorkshire, U.K.

The Seohae BridgeAsan Bay, South Korea

Golden Gate BridgeSan Francisco, California, U.S.A.

Mid-Hudson BridgePoughkeepsie, New York, U.S.A.

Oresund BridgeCopenhagen, Denmark - Malmö, Scania, Sweden

Osman Gazi BridgeGulf of İzmit, Turkey

Hitsuishijima & Iwakurojima BridgesSeto Inland Sea, Japan

Queensferry CrossingScotland, UK

Kita Bisan-Seto & Minami Bisan-Seto BridgesSeto Inland Sea, Japan

Shimotsui-Seto BridgeSeto Inland Sea, Japan

Clifton Suspension BridgeBristol, North Somerset, U.K.

Great Belt BridgeGreat Belt, Denmark

Contact

Links

Recent News

Angus L. Macdonald Bridge
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Thousand Islands International Bridge
St Lawrence River, Canada/USA

Tatara Bridge
Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Prince Of Wales Bridge
South West England / South East Wales

The Farø-Falster Bridge
Storstrømmen Strait, Zealand, Denmark

A. Murray MacKay Bridge
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Forth Road Bridge
Scotland, UK

Tamar Bridge
Plymouth, Devon, U.K.

Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge
Hyogo, Japan

South Channel Bridge
St Lawrence River, Canada/USA

Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
Tarrytown, New York, U.S.A.

Mackinac Bridge
St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, Michigan, U.S.A.

Jiangyin Bridge
Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China

Bear Mountain Bridge
Fort Montgomery, New York, U.S.A.

Humber Bridge
Lincolnshire, East Yorkshire, U.K.

The Seohae Bridge
Asan Bay, South Korea

Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

Mid-Hudson Bridge
Poughkeepsie, New York, U.S.A.

Oresund Bridge
Copenhagen, Denmark - Malmö, Scania, Sweden

Osman Gazi Bridge
Gulf of İzmit, Turkey

Hitsuishijima & Iwakurojima Bridges
Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Queensferry Crossing
Scotland, UK

Kita Bisan-Seto & Minami Bisan-Seto Bridges
Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Shimotsui-Seto Bridge
Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Clifton Suspension Bridge
Bristol, North Somerset, U.K.

Great Belt Bridge
Great Belt, Denmark