Sheppey Crossing
The Sheppey Crossing is a bridge which carries the A249 road across the Swale (a tidal strait of the Thames Estuary), linking the Isle of Sheppey with the mainland of Kent. The four-lane crossing measures 21.5 m (71 feet) in width, at a height of 35 m (115 feet) over the water. The A249 links the M20 and M2 motorways to Sheppey. The bridge opened in 2006, and it provides an alternative highway to the neighbouring Kingsferry Bridge that was completed in 1959.
Sheppey Crossing | |
|---|---|
Aerial view of the Sheppey Crossing, with the older Kingsferry Bridge behind | |
| Coordinates | 51°23′26.20″N 00°44′49.76″E |
| Carries | Four lane dual carriageway highway |
| Crosses | The Swale (a strait in the North Sea) |
| Locale | Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | beam bridge |
| Total length | 1.3km |
| Width | 21 metres (70 feet) |
| Longest span | 92.5m |
| Clearance above | 35 metres (115 feet) |
| History | |
| Construction cost | £30 million |
| Opened | 3 July 2006 |
| Location | |
The Sheppey Crossing is not open to pedestrians, bicycles, or horses, and these continue to use the older bridge, as does the railway line to Sheerness. Both bridges are monitored by an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system to detect lawbreaking vehicles.
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