May 16, 2009
In northern England’s borough of Stockton-on-Tees, a bridge for pedestrians and bicyclists was opened to the general public. This 787-foot (240-meter)-long structure, which crosses the River Tees, was both named and modeled after the ∞ symbol representing infinity. The Infinity Bridge was built in such a way that the combination of this structure and its reflection in the surrounding water — especially when illuminated at night — bears a resemblance to that mathematical symbol.
Construction on this dual, tied arch bridge began in June 2007. Two days before the bridge was first made available for everyday foot and cycling traffic, it was formally inaugurated with considerable fanfare. Graeme Hetherington reported on these evening festivities in the next day’s edition of the Northern Echo, a regional daily morning newspaper.
“The extravaganza of breath-taking entertainment culminated with a stunning firework display,” he wrote. “The dramatic addition to Teesside’s skyline was lit up for the first time, while freerunners scaled its distinctive arches and set off flares. People were also able enjoy the spectacle on various large screens.”
Bob Cook, a member of the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and its cabinet member for regeneration and transport, underscored the local prominence and popularity of the bridge a couple of months after its debut. He said, “The Infinity Bridge has quickly become a well-loved local landmark for Stockton-on-Tees and the whole of the Tees Valley.”
It was during that same year that the Infinity Bridge won the Institute of Structural Engineers’ highly coveted Supreme Award for Structural Excellence. This bridge has also been the recipient of several other noteworthy honors, including the British Constructional Steelwork Association’s Structural Streel Design Award and the Concrete Society Civil Engineering Award.
Photo Credit: darren price (https://www.flickr.com/people/100769237@N03) – licensed under the Creative Commons 2.0 Generic license at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
For more information on the Infinity Bridge, please check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinity_Bridge
Transportation History 