The Millennium Bridge of Northumberland County, England
The city of Newcastle, in the county of Northumberland in the United Kingdom is known for the spectacular bridges that criss-cross the Tyne River. Given the fact that there were six bridges that crossed the river, not one of them was dedicated to those who cycle or to those that just simply wanted to stroll across a bridge overlooking a beautiful river and valley. That all changed when a project of regeneration was proposed for Gateshead Quay. The new foot bridge was designed with pedestrians in mind, giving them an easy way to connect, to access the incredible venues of the Baltic Center of Contemporary Arts and the The Sage. Now those wandering through the county and visiting, staying in the hotels Northumberland county has to offer, have a delightful means of traversing the Tyne. This is the Millennium Bridge, and there is a boardwalk along side of the Tyne leading up to the bridge, perfect for biking or taking walks along the banks of the river.
The beginning stages of the project for the bridge began in 1996 when the city council of Gateshead held a competition for architects. The criteria for the bridge was that for one, the bridge must be built in order to still allow the ships the pass, that the view of the other six bridges not be hindered or overshadowed and that there could be no obstruction to the Quayside. One hundred and fifty architects submitted their designs, and after the council reviewed the designs they came up with a short list of forerunners. Then the final design was decided on by the residents of Newcastle and Gateshead. The winners were the companies of Wilkinson & Eyre, together with Gifford and Partners. They won the design competition in 1997, and began constructing the bridge. It was opened four and a half years later. The construction took place off site, and the completed bridge was transported to its final location using the floating crane called the Asian Hercules II, the largest of its kind in Europe. This is just one of the many beautiful bridges that make up the ‘skyline’ along the Tyne River.
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