List of vertical-lift bridges facts for kids

A vertical-lift bridge is a special type of movable bridge. It has a section that can be lifted straight up. This allows tall ships and boats to pass underneath. Imagine a giant elevator for a part of the bridge! These bridges are very useful in places where busy waterways meet roads or railways. They help keep both land and water traffic moving smoothly.

Amazing Vertical-Lift Bridges Around the World

Australia

Australia has several cool vertical-lift bridges. The

The Bridgewater Bridge in Tasmania is still used today.

Bridgewater Bridge in Tasmania is a great example. It was opened in 1946 and carries both cars and trains. Another interesting one was the Hobart Bridge, opened in 1943. It was later closed and taken down in 1964. The Ryde Bridge in New South Wales, opened in 1935, still carries road traffic but its lift part no longer works.

Belgium

Belgium has many vertical-lift bridges, especially over the Brussels-Schelde sea canal. These bridges help connect different areas and allow ships to travel easily. Some of these bridges include the Budabrug (opened 1955), Europabrug (opened 1972), and Verbrandebrug (opened 1968).

Canada

Canada is home to many important vertical-lift bridges, especially along the Welland Canal. This canal is a major shipping route. Bridges like the Glendale Avenue Bridge and Allanburg Bridge were built in the late 1920s. They are still used today. The Burlington Canal Lift Bridge, built in 1962, is another key bridge in Ontario. In Quebec, the Victoria Bridge crosses the Saint Lawrence River, connecting Saint-Lambert and Montreal.

China

China also uses vertical-lift bridges to manage its busy rivers. The Haimen Bridge [zh] crosses the Hai River in Tianjin. The Guangming Bridge [zh] spans the Pearl River in Guangzhou. These bridges are vital for trade and transport.

A ferry is crossing the lifted Haimen Bridge.

France

France has some truly impressive vertical-lift bridges.

Pont Gustave-Flaubert: Europe's Tallest Lift Bridge

The Pont Gustave-Flaubert in Rouen is the highest vertical-lift bridge in Europe. It lets ships as tall as 55 meters (about 180 feet) pass underneath! This bridge is 670 meters (about 2,200 feet) long. It has a special design where the road sections are outside the main towers. It opened in 2008 and is named after the famous writer Gustave Flaubert.

The Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas lifting its huge central span.

Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas: A Long Lift Span

The Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux opened in 2013. Its central part can lift up to 53 meters (about 174 feet). This allows very tall ships to go by. This lifting section is 117 meters (about 384 feet) long. It is one of the longest vertical-lift spans in Europe. The bridge is used by cars, trams, bikes, and people walking. It helps reduce traffic in Bordeaux.

Germany

Germany has notable vertical-lift bridges, including the Kattwyk Bridge [de] in Hamburg. This bridge has a lift span that is 100 meters (about 328 feet) long. This makes it one of the longest in Europe. It opens regularly every two hours to let ships pass.

The Kattwyk Bridges in Hamburg, Germany, with the left bridge's lift span raised.

Italy

Italy's Ponte Due Giugno in Fiumicino, near Rome, is a road bridge that was rebuilt in 1945. It helps connect different parts of the city over the water.

Ponte Due Giugno in Fiumicino, Italy.

Japan

Japan has the Chikugo River Lift Bridge. It connects Ōkawa and Saga. This bridge was first built in 1935 for trains. It is 507 meters (about 1,663 feet) long. Its central part, which weighs 48 tons, can lift 23 meters (about 75 feet) high. The railway closed in 1987, but the bridge was reopened for people walking in 1996. It is now an important cultural site.

The Netherlands

The Netherlands is famous for its waterways and bridges. The Botlek Bridge in Rotterdam is a great example. It has two huge lifting sections. Each section is about 87 by 50 meters (285 by 164 feet). That's almost the size of a football field!

The Botlek bridge in Rotterdam has two huge lifting spans.

Another famous bridge is Rotterdam's De Hef (The Lift), which opened in 1927. The Gouwe river also has three identical lift bridges built in 1930.

Romania and Bulgaria

The Danube Bridge connects Romania and Bulgaria over the Danube River. It opened in 1954. This long bridge, over 2.2 kilometers (1.3 miles) long, has a central lift-bridge section. This 85-meter (279-foot) lift allows very large boats to pass freely between the two countries.

United Kingdom

The UK has several interesting lift bridges. The Kingsferry Bridge in Kent, built in 1960, carries both road and rail traffic. The Tees Newport Bridge, built in 1934, was the first major lift bridge in the UK. It is still used by cars, but its lifting part stopped working in 1990. The Salford Quays lift bridge carries people walking across the Manchester Ship Canal.

United States

The United States has many vertical-lift bridges across its vast network of rivers and canals.

California's Notable Lift Bridges

Tower Bridge in Sacramento, California.

California features the Tower Bridge in Sacramento. This four-lane bridge crosses the Sacramento River. Another important one is the Helen Madere Memorial Bridge, also known as the "Rio Vista bridge," which carries a state route across the Sacramento River. The Mare Island Causeway Bridge, built in 1934, carries traffic over the Napa River in Vallejo.

Florida's Main Street Bridge

The Main Street Bridge in downtown Jacksonville, Florida.

In Florida, the Main Street Bridge is a four-lane bridge over the St. Johns River in downtown Jacksonville. It is a key part of the city's transport system.

Illinois's River Crossings

Illinois has many lift bridges, especially over the Chicago and Illinois Rivers. The Joe Page Bridge connects Greene and Calhoun counties over the Illinois River. It has a lift span of over 308 feet (94 meters). The Canal Street railroad bridge in Chicago, built in 1914, is another example.

Kentucky's Fourteenth Street Bridge

[[Wide image|PortlandCanalEntrance.jpg|800px|The vertical-lift section of the Fourteenth Street Bridge in Louisville, Kentucky.]] The Fourteenth Street Bridge (Ohio River) in Louisville, Kentucky, is a single-track railroad bridge. It crosses the Ohio River at its widest point.

Louisiana's Wide Lift Bridges

Louisiana is home to the Danziger Bridge in New Orleans. This bridge is the world's widest vertical-lift movable bridge, with seven lanes! It crosses the Industrial Canal. The Claiborne Avenue Bridge is another four-lane bridge over the same canal.

Minnesota and Wisconsin's Iconic Bridges

The Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth, Minnesota.

The Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth, Minnesota, is a very famous roadway bridge. It started as a unique "aerial transfer" bridge before becoming a lift bridge. The Stillwater Lift Bridge connects Minnesota and Wisconsin over the St. Croix River.

New York City and Northern New Jersey's Busy Waterways

This area has many crucial lift bridges due to its busy ports and rivers. The Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge connects New Jersey and Staten Island. Its 559-foot (170-meter) span is the longest lift span in the world! The Broadway Bridge in New York City carries both road traffic and subway trains over the Harlem River. The Dock Bridge in New Jersey is a six-track rail bridge over the Passaic River. It has three parallel lift spans.

New York (Upstate) Canal Bridges

Upstate New York has many lift bridges over the Erie Canal. These bridges allow boats to pass while also carrying roads. For example, the Adam Street Lift Bridge in Lockport, built in 1917, has a span of 130 feet (40 meters). Many of these bridges, like the Fairport Lift Bridge, have unique designs and play an important role in local transport.

Two Erie Canal lift bridges in Lockport, New York, with the nearest one raised for canal traffic.

Oregon and Washington's Pacific Northwest Bridges

The Steel Bridge in Portland, Oregon.

The Pacific Northwest has some remarkable lift bridges. The Steel Bridge in Portland, Oregon, is a double-lift bridge. Its lower deck, for trains and bikes, can lift separately from the upper deck, which carries roads and light rail. It's the only bridge like this in the world! The Interstate Bridge carries Interstate 5 over the Columbia River. It connects Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington.

The Interstate Bridge between Oregon and Washington, with its lift span raised.

Texas's Rio Hondo Bridge

The Rio Hondo Bridge in Texas, built in 1953, is the state's only lift bridge from that time period that is still working. It is very important for the economy of the Rio Grande Valley. Its spans open about 250 times each year for barges carrying goods to the Port of Harlingen.