Skye Bridge
Coordinates: 57 ° 16 ′ 47 " N , 5 ° 44 ′ 19" W.
| Skye Bridge | ||
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| Convicted | A87, footpath and bike path | |
| Subordinated | Loch Alsh | |
| construction | Prestressed concrete bridge | |
| overall length | 500 m | |
| Longest span | 250 m | |
| Headroom | 29 m | |
| opening | October 16, 1995 | |
| toll | none (since December 2004) | |
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The Skye Bridge (German: Skye-Brücke ) connects Skye , an island in the Inner Hebrides , with the Scottish mainland. The road bridge is part of the A87. It leads from Kyle of Lochalsh over the west end of Loch Alsh , a sea hole adjoining the Minch to the south , to Kyleakin on Skye. At this point, Loch Alsh is only 400 meters wide.
story
There have been ferry services in this area since the 17th century, as there are only 250 meters of water between the banks in some places. The construction of a bridge to the sparsely populated Isle of Skye did not seem justified at first. In 1989, rising prosperity and, above all, increasing tourism led the government to start planning. The Scottish-German consortium Miller- Dywidag was commissioned with the construction . Work started in 1992. On October 16, 1995, the prestressed concrete bridge with two pillars on caissons that reach up to twelve meters below the sea surface was opened to traffic. The ferry service in the ferry ports about one kilometer east of it across Loch Alsh was then discontinued. The main span of the Skye Bridge is 250 meters, the two secondary spans each 125 meters. Two lanes and a cycle / sidewalk on each side usually allow smooth traffic.
Toll Controversy
The initial amount of the toll for the privately pre-financed transport connection caused a stir . In 2004, a round-trip car cost £ 11.40, which is a multiple of the fees for comparable bridges. In relation to the length of the route, it is said to have been the highest toll in Europe. At the opening, a local opposition group called Skye and Kyle against Toll (German: Skye and Kyle against toll) formed, which caused a sensation with numerous protests, including toll refusal. Over 500 arrests and more than 130 convictions over the years have resulted. The Private Finance Initiative had raised £ 33 million in tolls when, after lengthy negotiations, on December 21, 2004, with the announcement of the purchase of the bridge by the Scottish Executive, the collection of tolls was suspended. The price was £ 27 million.
