Bridges over the Singapore River

Between 1819, when the first wooden pier or the first bridge across the Singapore River in Singapore was built, and 2015, 14 bridges were built across the river (or 17, if Marina Reservoir , where today is the mouth, the Singapore River is counted ). Until 1819 the only way to cross the river was by boat and ferry. Some of the bridges were demolished and rebuilt or their purpose was changed (traffic bridge in pedestrian bridge, etc.).

history

Ancient records from Singapore show a simple wooden walkway across the river dating from 1819, which had no name and is believed to be the first bridge in the city. In 1822 the jetty was replaced by a bridge, also made of wood, the Presentment Bridge , which later (1862 and 1927) became today's Elgin Bridge. In the years that followed, other bridges such as Coleman Bridge (1840), Kim Seng Bridge (1862), Cavenagh Bridge (1869) and Read Bridge (1889) were added. The most recent bridges are the Helix Bridge (2010), Bayfront Bridge (2010) and the Jubilee Bridge (2015).

Bridge overview

The Kim Seng Bridge, which now divides the Singapore River (east of the bridge) and Alexandra Canal (west of the bridge, formerly a river), is commonly cited as the source of the Singapore River. From here to the mouth of the river in Marina Bay (Esplanade Bridge / Jubilee Bridge) there are the following bridges:

Road bridges:

• Anderson Bridge (1910)
• Coleman Bridge (1840)
• Clemenceau Bridge (1940)
• Elgin Bridge (1819/1822)
• Esplanade Bridge (1997)
• Kim Seng Bridge (1862)

Pedestrian and cyclist bridges:

• Alkaff Bridge (1999)
• Cavenagh Bridge (1870)
• Jiak Kim Bridge (1999)
• Jubilee Bridge (2015)
• Ord Bridge (1886)
• Read Bridge (1889)
• Pulau Saigon Bridge (1890 + 1997)
• Robertson Bridge (1998)

The numerous projects of land reclamation by landfills, the mouth of the Singapore River that previously moved directly to the Singapore Strait bordered (Singapore Strait) inland. In the 1980s the bay Marina Bay was created, which since then - for example behind the Esplanade Bridge - has been part of the river's estuary. Gradually, through further embankments, the Marina Channel was created , which was separated from the sea by the construction of the Marina Barrage dam and merged into the Marina Reservoir freshwater basin. At a narrow point between Marina Bay and Marina Reservoir there are three bridges that are often counted among the bridges over the Singapore River. They are:

• Helix Bridge , pedestrian bridge (2010)
• Bayfront Bridge , road bridge (2010)
• Benjamin Sheares Bridge , Road Bridge ( East Coast Parkway ) (1981)

There are a total of 17 bridges that are located between the source of the Singapore River at the Kim Seng Bridge and the estuary on the border between Marina Bay and Marina Reservoir. Nine of these 17 bridges are from the colonial era.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Singapore River (historical overview) , in: Infopedia, Server der National Library Board, Singapore Government, online at: eresources.nlb.gov.sg/...02-02
2. ↑ ^{a b c} Bridges of Singapore River , private website "Singapore Lost & Filed", introduction, online at: lostnfiledsg.wordpress.com / ...
3. ↑ Source of the Singapore River , in: Infopedia, Server der National Library Board, Singapore Government, online at: eresources.nlb.gov.sg/...01-25
4. ↑ Mouth of the Singapore River , in: Infopedia, Server der National Library Board, Singapore Government, online at: eresources.nlb.gov.sg/...12-16
5. ↑ Lim Tin Seng: Bridging History: Passengers Across Water , Bridges of Colonial Times , Introduction, in: Biblioasia, Portal of the National Library Board, Singapore Government, online at: nlb.gov.sg/biblioasia / ...

Web links

• Wan Meng Hao and Jacqueline Lau: Heritage Places of Singapore , Chapter West Bank, Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Ltd., Singapore 2009, ISBN 978-981-261-858-0 , page 10, online edition at: books. google.de / ...

• Victor R Savage, Brenda Yeoh: Singapore Street Names: A Study of Toponymics , Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore 2013, ISBN 978-981-4408-35-6 , online at: books.google.de / ...

• Location of the Marina Reervoir on openstreetmap.org , highlighted in color; to the west Singapore River and Marina Bay, to the north Kallang River and Kallang Basin

• For the origin of Marina Bay, Marina Reservoir, etc. see Historical Maps of Singapore on libmaps.nus.edu.sg/ , select the year 2010 there