Kyle of Tongue Bridge

Coordinates: 58°29′42″N 4°27′02″W / 58.49500°N 4.45056°W

Kyle of Tongue Bridge
The Kyle of Tongue Bridge
Carries	Road traffic on the A838
Crosses	Kyle of Tongue
Locale	Sutherland, Scotland
Characteristics
Total length	183 metres (600 ft)
Number of spans	18
History
Constructed by	Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners
Opened	1971
Replaces	A passenger ferry service that ran until 1956

The bridge from the northwest with Ben Loyal in the background

The causeway from the east

Location of Kyle of Tongue Bridge and Causeway in Sutherland

The Kyle of Tongue Bridge is part of the Kyle of Tongue Causeway, which crosses Kyle of Tongue sea loch on the north coast of Scotland.

The bridge and causeway were built by Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners in 1971 to carry the A838, the road from Thurso to Durness, across the loch.^[1][2] Until 1956 there had been a passenger ferry but the route around the head of the loch involved a narrow road some ten miles long.^[3] The causeway is 3.8 kilometres (2.4 mi) long and it crosses a natural island, Tongue Island (Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Thunga).^[4][5] The 183-metre (600 ft) long bridge is at the western end of the causeway and it has eighteen spans supported by twin piers.^[4][6] The bridge was fully refurbished in 2011.^[6][7]

References

1. "Kyle of Tongue Bridge and Causeway". Canmore. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
2. "Tongue Bridge to open in August". Glasgow Herald. 26 March 1971. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
3. "Tongue". Discover Sutherland. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
4. "Kyle of Tongue Causeway". Gazetteer for Scotland. Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
5. "Kyle of Tongue Bridge". Historic Environmental record. Highland Council. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
6. "Kyle of Tongue Causeway". SABRE. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
7. "Kyle of Tongue Bridge". Concrete Repairs Limited. Retrieved 1 February 2014.