The bridge was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Cornwall Railway Company, after several other designs were rejected due to geographical and navigational concerns. It connects Plymouth, Devon to Saltash, Cornwall, crossing the River Tamar. The bridge consists of two main spans of 455 feet (139 m), 100 feet (30 m) above average high spring tide, plus seventeen much shorter approach spans. It was opened by Prince Albert on 2 May 1859, four months before the engineer\'s death.