Infinity Bridge

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Footbridge over the River Tees, England

title: "Infinity Bridge" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2008-establishments-in-england", "crossings-of-the-river-tees", "bridges-completed-in-2008", "pedestrian-bridges-in-england", "tied-arch-bridges", "bridges-in-county-durham", "bridges-in-north-yorkshire", "buildings-and-structures-in-stockton-on-tees", "places-in-the-tees-valley", "arch-bridges-in-the-united-kingdom"] description: "Footbridge over the River Tees, England" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinity_Bridge" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Footbridge over the River Tees, England ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox bridge"]

FieldValue
bridge_nameInfinity Bridge
imageInfinity Bridge from the Tees Barrage-1200.jpg
image_size250px
captionInfinity Bridge from the Tees Barrage, named after the \infty symbol denoting infinity
official_nameInfinity Bridge
carriesPedestrians and cyclists
crossesRiver Tees, Teesdale Way
localeStockton-on-Tees, England
precededPrincess of Wales Bridge
followedTees Barrage
ownerStockton-on-Tees Borough Council
id
winnerExpedition Engineering and Spence Associates
contracted_designerExpedition Engineering
designAsymmetric double tied-arch and suspended deck
materialWeathering steel, stainless steel and reinforced concrete
spans2 river spans and 8 minor spans on approaches
pierswater1
mainspan120 m
length240 m
width5 m
height40 m
below8 m
life120 years
cost£15m
traffic4,000 people/day anticipated
builderBalfour Beatty
fabricatorCleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
beginJune 2007
completeDecember 2008
inaugurated14 May 2009
open16 May 2009
toll
coordinates
::

| bridge_name = Infinity Bridge | native_name = | image = Infinity Bridge from the Tees Barrage-1200.jpg | image_size = 250px | alt = | caption = Infinity Bridge from the Tees Barrage, named after the \infty symbol denoting infinity | official_name = Infinity Bridge | carries = Pedestrians and cyclists | crosses = River Tees, Teesdale Way | locale = Stockton-on-Tees, England | preceded = Princess of Wales Bridge | followed = Tees Barrage | owner = Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council | maint = | id = | winner = Expedition Engineering and Spence Associates | contracted_designer = Expedition Engineering | design = Asymmetric double tied-arch and suspended deck | material = Weathering steel, stainless steel and reinforced concrete | spans = 2 river spans and 8 minor spans on approaches | pierswater = 1 | mainspan = 120 m | length = 240 m | width = 5 m | height = 40 m | load = | clearance = | below = 8 m | life = 120 years | cost = £15m | traffic = 4,000 people/day anticipated | builder = Balfour Beatty | fabricator = Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company | begin = June 2007 | complete = December 2008 | inaugurated = 14 May 2009 | open = 16 May 2009 | heritage = | collapsed = | closed = | toll = | map_cue = | map_image = | map_text = | map_width = | coordinates = | lat = | long = | extra = The Infinity Bridge is a public pedestrian and cycle footbridge across the River Tees in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in northern England. The bridge is situated one kilometre downriver of Stockton town centre, between the Princess of Wales Bridge and the Tees Barrage. It connects the Teesdale Business Park and the University of Durham's Queen's Campus in Thornaby-on-Tees on the south bank of the Tees with the Tees Valley Regeneration's £320 million North Shore development on the north bank.

Built at a cost of £15 million with funding from Stockton Borough Council, English Partnerships and its successor body the Homes and Communities Agency, One NorthEast, and the European Regional Development Fund the bridge is a major part of the North Shore Redevelopment Project undertaken by Tees Valley Regeneration.

The bridge had the project title North Shore Footbridge before being given its official name Infinity Bridge, chosen by a panel of representatives from the funding bodies, from a pool of names suggested by the public.

The name derives from the infinity symbol (\infty) formed by the bridge and its reflection. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Infinity-Bridge-Steven-Iceton.jpg" caption="The Infinity Bridge, Stockton-on-Tees illuminated after sunset showing the infinity symbol reflection with rare noctilucent clouds across the sky." alt="The Infinity Bridge, Stockton-on-Tees illuminated after sunset with rare noctilucent clouds across the sky."] ::

Design

Initial investigations for the footbridge were done by the White Young Green Group, who with English Partnerships produced a brief for an international architectural design competition, organised with RIBA Competitions and launched in April 2003.

The brief was for a "prestigious" and "iconic" "landmark" footbridge at North Shore Stockton, to cross the River Tees, which is 125 m wide at that point.

More than 200 submissions were made to the RIBA Competition; from these a shortlist of five was selected. The successful competition design was by Expedition Engineering and Spence Associates.

The subsequent design was led by Expedition Engineering assisted by Arup Materials, Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering, Black and Veatch, Bridon, University of Cambridge, Cleveland Bridge UK, Dorman Long Technology, Flint & Neill, Formfab, GCG, GERB, Imperial College, RWDI, Spence Associates, Speirs & Major, Stainton, and William Cook. White Young Green were project managers.

English Partnerships appointed Flint & Neill Limited to carry out a Category III independent check of the bridge design, including loading, wind tunnel testing, and investigation of failure modes. A number of aspects fall outside current standards. The bridge has a 120-year design life.

Description

The bridge is a dual, tied arch bridge or bowstring bridge. It has a pair of continuous, differently-sized structural steel arches with suspended precast concrete decking and one asymmetrically placed river pier. The tapering arches with a trapezoidal box section are fabricated from weathering steel plate.

Each of the arches bifurcates within the spans to form a double rib over the river pier.

A reflex piece between the two arches holds them together, making the two arches one continuous curve. No other bridge is known to have quite the same design.

The offset river pier is to accommodate water sports and leisure craft to one side. The river pier is supported by an 11.5 m square by 2.5 m thick pile cap on sixteen 1 m diameter hollow steel pipe piles. On the pile cap beneath the water line are four 3 m cylindrical concrete legs, onto which are bolted and welded the four inclined grey steel legs visible above water. Riprap covers the river bed around the river pier for scour protection against the large flows when the Tees Barrage downstream discharges.

Each of the two concrete riverside piers are supported on four 500 mm hollow steel piles and a pile cap.

The bridge as initially proposed was to have been some 272 m long. It was originally designed with a northern approach 38 m long and a southern approach of 54 m; however, the design of the north side of the bridge was later simplified and the bridge's northern approach shortened. The design of the southern approach is largely unaltered and has a staircase connecting it directly to the river frontage.

The bridge deck is 5 m wide and 4 m between its custom-made handrails.

The main arch of the bridge is 120 m long, weighing 300 tonnes, and 32 m tall, with its top 40 m above the Tees. The short arch is 60 m long and 16 m tall. The hangers (droppers) are spaced 7.5 m apart and are made from 30 mm diameter, high-strength, locked-coil steel cable.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Infinity_Bridge_tuned_mass_damper_on_small_arch-1632.jpg" caption="Single-tuned mass damper fitted to the underside of the concrete decking of the smaller arch of the bridge."] ::

Four exposed, high-strength, post-tensioned, locked-coil steel-tie cables run alongside the deck and tie the bases of the arches together, pre-stressing the concrete deck sections. The tie cables are 90 mm diameter on the large arch and 65 mm on the smaller.

The aggregate concrete deck sections are 7.5 m long and down to 125 mm thick in places, making it one of the thinnest bridge walking surfaces.

The handrails and parapet are stainless steel while the balustrade is made from stainless steel wire.

To ensure any bridge oscillation is controlled, the deck is fitted to the underside with seven tuned mass dampers – one on the short arch, and six on the larger weighing 5 tonnes in all. The mass dampers control horizontal as well as vertical oscillations – a feature only required on very slender bridges. There is provision for the addition of further dampers when the issue of maintenance arises.

The clearance (heading) below the decking on the navigable part of the river is 8 m.

Illumination

A special feature is made of the way the bridge is lit at night. This lighting scheme was designed by Speirs and Major Associates who also designed the lighting for the Burj Al-Arab. At night the bridge handrail and footway are lit with custom-made blue-and-white LED lighting built into the handrail that changes colour as pedestrians cross the bridge; sensors trigger a change from blue to white, leaving a 'comet's trail' in the person's wake. Attached to the steel cable ties are white metal-halide up-lighters to illuminate the white painted bridge arches, and blue LED down-lighters to illuminate the water and ground surfaces immediately below the deck. At night from certain viewing angles when the river surface is flat calm, the twin arches together with their reflection in the river appear as an infinity symbol \infty, and it is this effect that inspired its name.

|File:Infinity_Bridge_first_south_pier-uplighters-900.jpg |Uplighters on the southern riverside pier illuminating the southern end of the arch |File:Infinity Bridge-up down lighters-400.jpg |White metal halide up-lighters and blue LED down-lighters, attached to two steel tie cables running along either side of the bridge walkway |File:Infinity_bridge_handrail_%26_deck_lighting-1024.jpg |Handrail and integral custom-made walkway lighting

Construction

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/North_Shore_Footbridge,_Stockton-on-Tees,under_construction(geograph_904211).jpg" caption="South bank of North Shore Footbridge during construction"] ::

The bridge was constructed in 18 months between June 2007 and December 2008 by site constructor Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering and steel fabricator Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company with White Young Green managing the whole project.

At the start of construction, a temporary jetty was built on the south bank to enable the building of a cofferdam for the safe construction of the central pier. In April 2008, the supporting legs were added to the central pier. Steel falsework was constructed in the cofferdam by Dorman Long to support the ends of both incomplete arches as they cantilevered over the river during construction. The first steel arch, made from four pieces of fabricated steel welded together, was put in place in June 2008 and was later used to stabilise the cantilevering lower portions of the main arch using a strand-jack and tie cable between the top of the small arch and the large arch and then to reduce sway stress during the progressive construction of the large arch. The final section of the main arch came in four pieces which were welded together on site and on 5 September 2008 all 170 tonnes of it was lifted into place by a 1,500-tonne mobile crane, the largest in the country. The crane, a Gottwald AK680 owned by Sarens UK, is based in nearby Middlesbrough. The crane is 80 m high with a maximum of 1200 tonnes of superlift, requires 45 transport wagons to move it, and takes three days to set up using a 100-tonne crane.

The concrete deck panels were cast on site using three steel moulds in temporary sheds in a construction compound on the north bank of the river. Using a short temporary jetty on the north bank the deck, panels were floated out on a small barge and jacked into position, working progressively away from the river pier. The concrete deck sections are held together by steel welds and adhesive.

The footbridge was completed on time and to budget in December 2008 with 530 workers and uses in total some 450 tonnes of Corus steel, 1.5 km of locked coil steel cable, 780 lights and 5,472 bolts, and weighs 1040 tons. Almost all labour, materials and components were sourced regionally.

Operation

The bridge was officially opened on 14 May 2009 with celebrations that included a sound, light and animation show, parkour freerunners who climbed the bridge arches with flares, and a specially composed music track and synchronised pyrotechnics from the bridge itself with big screens for the estimated audience of 20,000 spectators along the banks. The bridge was opened to the public two days later. Foot traffic is anticipated to rise to some four thousand people a day as the North Shore site develops.

Awards

The bridge won the Institution of Structural Engineers' Supreme Award for Structural Excellence 2009, the premier structural engineering award in the UK. It also won in its own category of Pedestrian Bridges. The other awards the bridge has won include the British Constructional Steelwork Association's Structural Steel Design Award 2010, the Concrete Society Civil Engineering Award 2009, the ICE Robert Stephenson Award 2009, the North East Constructing Excellence Awards 'Project of the Year', and the Green Apple Award for the environment.

Photo gallery

|Image:Infinity_bridge_small-south_arch.jpg |The smaller south arch |Image:Infinity_bridge_big-north_arch.jpg |The larger north arch |Image:Infinity_bridge_central_pier%26_small_arch-2.jpg |Central pier and large arch |Image:Infinity_bridge_central_pier.jpg |The central pier |Image:Infinity Bridge first south pier from north side-1088.jpg |The southern riverside concrete pier with reaction plate viewed from the north side |Image:Infinity Bridge first south pier-1088.jpg |The south riverside pier and concrete decking |Image:Infinity_bridge_seven_south_piers.jpg |The seven south piers and approaches |Image:Infinity_bridge_north_pier.jpg |The north riverside pier and abutment |Image:Infinity_bridge_cable_connectors-2.jpg |An angled dropper, deck support and bowstring cables |Image:Infinity_bridge_cable_ties_north_bank.jpg |Tie cable tensioning clamps on the north bank |Image:Infinity_bridge_info_board.jpg |Infinity Bridge information board |Image:Infinity Bridge from River Tees Watersports Centre-1632.jpg |Infinity Bridge from the River Tees Watersports Centre

References

References

  1. (11 December 2008). "Infinity footbridge takes shape". Building Design – The Architects' Website.
  2. "To Infinity and Beyond: Teesside Stockton Footbridge". White Young Green.
  3. Race, Steve. (18 February 2008). "The latest addition to the River Tees skyline is taking shape". Evening Gazette.
  4. "Case Study: Teesside Stockton Footbridge". White Young Green group.
  5. (11 September 2008). "An infinitely fitting name". One North East.
  6. Robinson, Mike. (1 September 2008). "Council Meeting – Stockton and Borough Council". Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.
  7. "The Footbridge at North Shore". Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.
  8. (24 November 2008). "Firm looks to Infinity and beyond". Evening Gazette.
  9. "Expedition Engineering". Expedition Engineering.
  10. Maskell, Daniel. (2009). "A Critical Analysis of North Shore Footbridge, Stockton-on-Tees, UK". bath.ac.uk.
  11. "Lift off for North Shore". Building Design News.
  12. "Overview of the Scheme". The Footbridge at North Shore.
  13. (June 2016). ["The Infinity Footbridge"](http://www.istructe.org/activities_events_awards/Pages/SA09-InfinityFootbridge.aspx}}{{dead link). The Institution of Structural Engineers.
  14. "Infinity Bridge, Stockton-on-Tees". Bridges on the Tyne.
  15. (16 April 2021). "Cleveland Bridge: The British bridges built by innovation". Scottish Construction Now.
  16. (June 2016). "North Shore Footbridge". Cleveland.
  17. "Infinity Bridge, UK". Flint & Neill.
  18. Smith, Colin. (9 October 2009). "Iconic bridge wins award with a little help from Imperial students". Imperial College.
  19. (20 May 2009). "Iconic Bridge Wins Double Accolade". WYG Group.
  20. "Northshore footbridge, UK". Dorman Long Technology.
  21. (June 2016). ["About Cleveland Bridge"](http://www.door-way.co.uk/clevelandbridge/index.aspx}}{{dead link). Cleveland Process Designs Limited.
  22. DLT Consulting. "Infinity footbridge, UK". Dorman Long Technology.
  23. Rowson, Jessica. (20 May 2008). "Clever step over". New Civil Engineer.
  24. "The Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council North Shore Development (North Shore Footbridge) Scheme 2006". Office of Public Sector Information.
  25. (2006). "Statutory Instruments 2006 No. 2503". Office of Public Service Information.
  26. "North Shore Footbridge". Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd.
  27. (2006). "The Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council North Shore Development (North Shore Footbridge) Scheme 2006 Confirmation Instrument 2006". Office of Public Sector Information.
  28. (15 May 2009). "Spectacular Infinity Bridge Is Regeneration Catalyst For Tees Valley". realwire.com.
  29. "PM's Award Finalists 2009". The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.
  30. "No bridge too far for Fabric8". S3i Stainless Steel Solutions.
  31. (18 November 2008). "Wire balustrade installed on iconic footbridge in Stockton-on-Tees". finditinurbanliving.co.uk.
  32. Glancy, Jonathan. (16 December 2009). "Building with Light". metropolismag.com.
  33. "Balfour Beatty Update – September 2007". Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.
  34. "Balfour Beatty Update – January 2008". Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.
  35. "Infinity bridge, UK". Dorman Long Technology.
  36. (4 September 2008). "UK’s biggest crane is huge lift for bridge". Evening Gazette.
  37. McLauchlan, Karen. (24 April 2009). "Infinity Festival". Chronicle Live.
  38. (June 2016). ["Infinity Bridge Opening Celebrations"](http://www.visitengland.com/ee/Events/Stockton-On-Tees/Show-or-Display-Ceremony-/833996/Infinity-Bridge-Opening-Celebrations.htm}}{{dead link). Visit England.
  39. "Awards for Infinity Bridge". Tees Valley Regeneration.
  40. (12 October 2009). "Infinity bridge scoops Structural Awards". New Civil Engineer.
  41. (2010). "Corus Structural Steel Design Award 2010". corusconstruction.com.
  42. "Civil Engineering Category Winner". The Concrete Society.
  43. "Green Apple Awards 2009 for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage". The Green Organisation.

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2008-establishments-in-englandcrossings-of-the-river-teesbridges-completed-in-2008pedestrian-bridges-in-englandtied-arch-bridgesbridges-in-county-durhambridges-in-north-yorkshirebuildings-and-structures-in-stockton-on-teesplaces-in-the-tees-valleyarch-bridges-in-the-united-kingdom