Construction
The three sections of decking were assembled on the broad central reservation of Princess Road, and were craned into position over a weekend when Princess Road was closed. The decking was temporarily supported by trestles until the arch was ready. The six sections of the arch were welded together on site into two halves before being lifted into position during a second weekend. The cables were connected on third weekend. The bridge was formally opened on 10 May 1997 by Alex Ferguson in a ceremony including the Lord Mayor of Manchester and Tony Wilson. The ceremony was concluded by them being driven over the bridge in a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, and was followed by a street festival.
The bridge has been described by the structural engineers as "a perfect example of how imaginative design combined with leading-edge engineering technology can be used to create a landmark structure which captures the public's imagination." In 1997 the bridge was shortlisted for the British Construction Civil Engineering Award. In 1998, the bridge received four awards: the RIBA Award for Architecture, a Structural Steel Design Awards Commendation, a Civic Trust Award Commendation and the Institute of Civil Engineers Merit Award.
Read more about this topic: Hulme Arch Bridge
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“There’s no art
To find the mind’s construction in the face.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
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