Northern Spire Bridge facts for kids

The Northern Spire Bridge is an amazing bridge that crosses the River Wear in Sunderland, England. It's located in an area called Tyne and Wear. People could first walk across it on August 28, 2018. Cars started using it the very next day.

This bridge is a special type called a cable-stayed bridge. It has two main sections supported by strong cables. Building the bridge started in May 2015. Two companies, Farrans Construction and Victor Buyck Steel Construction, worked together to build it.

People had been talking about building a new bridge here since 2005. But it took a long time because they needed to find enough money. Finally, the government approved the funding. At first, they chose a very fancy design. But it was too expensive, and some building companies decided not to work on it. So, in 2014, they switched to a simpler, more affordable cable-stayed design.

Why the Bridge Was Built

The Northern Spire Bridge was built on the west side of Sunderland. Its main goal was to help reduce traffic jams in the city. The bridge was designed by Spence Associates, working with Techniker, an engineering company.

The idea for this bridge came about in 2005. But the city council kept the plans a secret for a few years. They didn't want people to get too excited until they knew they had the money. They also thought about building a cheaper, simpler beam bridge. The fancy design by Spence was estimated to cost about £133 million. This included the bridge itself and all the new roads leading to it.

The bridge is a big part of a plan to make Sunderland better. This plan, by Sunderland Arc, aimed to improve transport and make the city look more modern. In 2017, people in Sunderland voted on names for the bridge. They chose "Northern Spire Bridge" from three options.

How the Bridge Came to Be

In 2003, a company called Sunderland Arc asked engineers from Arup to help find the best spot for a new bridge over the River Wear. In 2004, a famous architect named Frank Gehry also studied the idea of a new river crossing.

In 2005, Sunderland Arc held a worldwide competition for bridge designs. Many ideas were submitted, including one from Frank Gehry. But the winning design was a cable-stayed bridge by Spence Associated.

Choosing the Design

In 2008, Sunderland City Council asked the public what they thought. They wanted to know if people preferred the Spence design or a simpler beam bridge. Most people in Sunderland liked the Spence design.

So, the council decided to go with the more ambitious Spence design. They believed a unique bridge would attract more businesses and create more jobs. The United Kingdom government agreed to give £93 million for the construction. Another group, One NorthEast, promised £8.5 million. The city council paid the remaining £23 million.

The decision to build the Spence design became official on September 9, 2009. Building was planned to start around 2012.

Changes to the Plan

Even though the plans were approved in May 2010, construction didn't start right away. By July 2013, there were still problems. It was hard to build the Spence design with the money they had. Several building companies even pulled out of the project.

Because of these difficulties, they had to rethink the design. They decided to drop the original Spence plan. Instead, they chose a simpler cable-stayed design, which is what we see today. Roughan & O’Donovan and BuroHappold Engineering worked on the new design for the bridge.

Building the Tall Pylon

One of the most exciting parts of the construction happened in February 2017. The huge A-frame pylon, which is the main support tower, was put into place. This pylon was made in Ghent, Belgium. It stands at 105 meters (about 344 feet) tall. This makes it the tallest structure in Sunderland!

Raising this single bridge pylon was a huge moment. It was the result of two years of planning and design. The pylon itself took twelve months to build before it was brought to Sunderland.

Images for kids

• 

  The area where the Northern Spire was built in 2010

• 

  The tall spire being lifted into place in 2017

• 

  Walking across the bridge after it opened

• 

  Looking up at the impressive spire