Jacobs Ladder Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jacobs Ladder Bridge |
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| Coordinates | 36°50′38″S 174°45′03″E / 36.843986°S 174.75079°E |
| Carries | Pedestrians |
| Crosses | Auckland Northern Motorway |
| Locale | Saint Marys Bay, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Truss bridge |
| Number of spans | 2 |
| History | |
| Opened | 15 December 2012 |
The Jacobs Ladder Bridge is a special covered bridge for people walking in Auckland, New Zealand. It crosses over a busy road called State Highway 1. The bridge was officially opened on December 15, 2012.
This bridge helps people get from Westhaven Marina across the wide, 10-lane motorway. It connects to the famous Jacob's Ladder stairs. These stairs lead up to the Saint Marys Bay area.
The bridge is about 102 meters (335 feet) long and 3.7 meters (12 feet) wide. It stands 6 meters (20 feet) above the motorway. Inside, it is 3 meters (10 feet) high. The bridge cost about $7.9 million to build.
The bridge looks like a golden fishing net or trap. It is lit up at night, making it a beautiful sight. It acts like a special welcome sign for people driving into Auckland.
Connecting the Community
The Jacobs Ladder Bridge makes it much easier for people to move around. Before the bridge, the Jacob's Ladder stairs went all the way down to the motorway. People then had to walk along a footpath to cross.
Now, the stairs only go down to the bridge level. From there, people can use ramps to walk along the motorway's southern side. On the northern side, there are stairs and an elevator. These help people get down to the marina car park.
Building the Bridge
Work on the bridge started in early 2011. This included building the supports and foundations. The Jacob's Ladder access was ready for the Rugby World Cup in 2011. However, the new bridge took a bit longer to finish.
By August 2011, the two main parts of the bridge, called trusses, were put in place. Workers then started installing the floor sections. These were moved into place using a temporary "monorail" system. This system was attached to the top of the truss.
What's in a Name?
The bridge gets its name from the nearby Jacob's Ladder staircase. This staircase has been there since the late 1800s or early 1900s. The current stairs are new, built at the same time as the bridge.
The name "Jacob's Ladder" comes from an old story in the Bible. In this story, a man named Jacob dreams of a ladder. This ladder reaches from Earth all the way to heaven. Angels are seen going up and down it.
Many steep staircases around the world are called Jacob's Ladder. This name is also used for other things. For example, it is shown as large sculptures on the outside of Bath Abbey.
