- Anderson Bridge
Bridges in Singapore
bridge_name = Anderson Bridge
official_name = Anderson Bridge
chinese_name = 安德逊桥
locale =Downtown Core ,Singapore
carries =Motor vehicles andpedestrians
crosses =Singapore River
mainspan =
length = 70 metres
width = 28 metres
open = 1910
design =Truss bridge
designer =
construction =Anderson Bridge is a
vehicular bridge that spans across theSingapore River . It is located near the river's mouth in the Downtown Core Planning Area ofSingapore 'sCentral Area .The bridge was completed in 1910G. Chandradas, Tien Chung Ping (21 August 2008). "Bridging the gap", The Straits Times.] , and was named after the
Governor of the Straits Settlements andHigh Commissioner for theFederated Malay States (1904–1911),Sir John Anderson, who officially opened the bridge on12 March ,1910 . It formed part of theSingapore Grand Prix 'sMarina Bay Street Circuit , which debuted on 28 September 2008.History
Anderson Bridge was built with the intention to replace the overloaded
Cavenagh Bridge as the link between thegovernment administrative area in the Civic District on the northern bank and the Commercial District (nowRaffles Place ) on the southern bank of the Singapore River. Due to the flourishing trade on the Singapore River by the 1880s, Cavenagh Bridge could not support the increasingly heavytraffic into town. Despite the building ofOrd Bridge andRead Bridge , the traffic situation did not improve and in fact worsened following the widening ofBattery Road . Its low draught was also insufficient for the passage of boats athigh tide . However, when Anderson Bridge was completed in 1910, Cavenagh Bridge was spared fromdemolition and was converted to apedestrian bridge, with heaviervehicles ,horse andox carts being diverted to Anderson Bridge.Anderson Bridge was constructed between 1908 and 1910, as a joint venture between the colonial government and the
Municipality after the reclamation of the south bank of the Singapore River. Theabutment s were built by the Westminster Construction Company Limited.The elegant bridge displays an excellent combination of intricate
plaster andmetalwork unmatched by any other bridge locally. It comprises threesteel arches with supporting steelribs extending across them, two rusticated archways and a flutedpier at each end.During the
Japanese Occupation of Singapore (1942-1945), the severed heads of criminals were hung on Anderson Bridge as a warning to discourage citizens from breaking the law.Anderson Bridge today
In the 1990s, due again to the increasing vehicular
traffic flow between the northern and southern bank of the Singapore River, theEsplanade Bridge was built to provide faster access betweenMarina Centre and the financial district ofShenton Way . Construction of the 260-metre long bridge in front of the mouth of theSingapore River began in early 1994 and was completed in 1997.Anderson Bridge currently still serves as a vehicular bridge, and connects the financial district directly to City Hall. The bridge is located near The Fullerton Hotel (previously Fullerton Building) and the former
Merlion Park .On 3 November 2008, the bridge was selected for conversation as part of the
Urban Redevelopment Authority 's expanded conservation programme [http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_285801.html] .References
ee also
*
List of bridges in Singapore
* The Fullerton HotelReferences
* Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2004), "Toponymics - A Study of Singapore Street Names", Eastern University Press, ISBN 981-210-364-3
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