Name: Menai Strait Bridge (view items)
Industry type: Transportation
Industry: Highway
Country: Great Britain
State/County/Province: N. Wales-Anglesey
City: Bangor
Start year: 1819
End year: 0
Company: Government
Notes:
This bridge was designed by Thomas Telford and is one of the earliest iron suspension bridges in the world. The bridge connected the Isle of Anglesey with the Welsh mainland. It was built to eliminate the treacherous ferry trip across the Strait of Menai with construction beginning in 1819 and an opening date of 1826. The masonry towers of the bridge are constructed of local limestone and the deck is supported by 16 chains. The original wrought iron chains were replaced in 1938-40 with steel to accommodate automotive traffic.
The bridge is a candidate for a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.
http://www.anglesey-history.co.uk/places/bridges/