Avonmouth Bridge

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Avonmouth Bridge is a road bridge near Bristol that carries the M5 motorway over the River Avon into Somerset. It is about 1,388 meters long, with the main span about 164 meters, and it sits around 30 meters above the water so tall ships can pass underneath. A footpath and cycle path run along the bridge, linking the B4054 area near Avonmouth station with the Royal Portbury Dock and the village of Pill.

The bridge opened in May 1974 with three lanes in each direction and full hard shoulders. It was widened to four lanes in each direction between 1995 and 2000, and the hard shoulders are now narrower. It was built high and long so ships can pass, but the steep slopes can cause heavy vehicles to slow down, leading to congestion during rush hours and peak tourist times.

Fairfield-Mabey was the main contractor; Tarmac Civil Engineering did the foundations, piers and deck concreting. The approach surface was smooth, but the top of the bridge was rough when it opened. In 2009, the bridge was resurfaced with a new thin, durable Gussasphalt that is skid-resistant, lightweight and can be laid in 25 mm layers.

Today the bridge carries about 132,000 vehicles a day (2018).