Flintshire Bridge
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Infobox Bridge
|bridge_name = Flintshire Bridge
|image = Flintshire Bridge from the South Bank of the River Dee - geograph.org.uk - 411500 (cropped).jpg
|caption =
|official_name = Flintshire Bridge
|carries = 4 lanes of A548
|crosses = Dee Estuary
|locale = Deeside
|maint = Welsh Government
Flintshire County Council
|id =
|designer = Gifford Graham and Partners. Architect advice Percy Thomas Partnership
|design = Cable-stayed
|material = concrete
|spans =
|pierswater =
|mainspan = {{convert|200|m}}
|length = {{convert|294|m}}
|width =
|height = {{convert|118|m}}
|load =
|clearance =
|below =
|traffic = 13,300 vehicles per day
|begin = 1994
|complete = 1997
|open = {{Start date|df=yes|1998|03|06}}
|heritage =
|collapsed =
|preceded =
|followed =
|closed =
|toll =
|coordinates = {{coord|53.228738|-3.065951|region:GB-FLN_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|extra =
}}
The Flintshire Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge spanning the Dee Estuary in North Wales. The bridge links Flint and Connah's Quay to the shore north of the River Dee at the southern end of the Wirral Peninsula. The bridge cost £55 million to construct.{{cite web|url=http://www.flintshirechronicle.co.uk/flintshire-information/flintshire-history/2008/08/08/deeside-history-51352-22083190/ |title=Deeside History |publisher=Flintshire Chronicle |access-date=2009-03-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230063748/http://www.flintshirechronicle.co.uk/flintshire-information/flintshire-history/2008/08/08/deeside-history-51352-22083190/ |archive-date=30 December 2010 }} This cost was met by the then Welsh Office and in the future, maintenance costs are expected to be the responsibility of the local authority Flintshire County Council.
The bridge was officially opened in 1998 by Queen Elizabeth II. It carries part of the A548 road and has been nicknamed 'the bridge to nowhere' as it does not link up with the North Wales Expressway.
It is the largest asymmetric cable-stayed bridge in Britain.{{cite web|url=http://www.giantsnorthwales.co.uk/page.aspx?pt=giant&pr=5F660CFEE62DAB8FA6FCF0D6C1F207EBE5FBEBB0&lc=English|title=Flintshire Bridge|publisher=Giants North Wales|access-date=2009-03-01}}
Gallery
File:Flintshire Bridge with Deeside Stadium.jpg|alt=The bridge shown with Deeside Stadium|The bridge shown with Deeside Stadium
File:Flintshire Bridge aerial view.jpg|alt=Aerial view|Aerial view
File:Flintshire Bridge 01.jpg|alt=The tower shown with Connah's Quay Power Station|The tower shown with Connah's Quay Power Station
File:Flintshire Bridge aerial view 2.jpg|alt=Aerial view|Aerial view
File:Flintshire Bridge with Connahs Quay Power Station.jpg|alt=Bridge from afar showing River Dee estuary|Bridge from afar showing River Dee estuary
File:flintshire_bridge.jpg|alt=Tall tower supporting the bridge decking |The tower supporting the bridge decking from River Dee
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Flintshire Bridge|position=left}}
{{Crossings navbox
|structure = Crossings
|place = River Dee
|bridge = Flintshire Bridge
|bridge signs =
|upstream = Hawarden Bridge
|upstream signs =
|downstream = (none)
|downstream signs =
}}
{{Flintshire}}
Category:Bridges completed in 1997
Category:Road bridges in Wales
Category:Bridges in Flintshire