Three-way bridge

A three-way bridge (or tri-bridge) is a bridge with three distinct and separate spans, where one end of each span meets at a common point near the centre of the bridge. Unlike other bridges which have two entry-exit points, three-way bridges have three entry-exit points. For this reason, three-way bridges are not to be confused with commonly-found road bridges which carry vehicles in one direction from one entry point, and then bifurcate into two other one-way bridges.[1]

Three-way bridges are located throughout the world, though they are rare. Some are as small as a footbridge, while others are multi-lane roadways.

Three-way bridges are often referred to as "T-bridges" or "Y-bridges", due to their shape when viewed from above. Three cities in Michigan each have a three-way bridge named "The Tridge", combining "tri" and "bridge".[1]

The unique shape of a three-way bridge makes it easy to identify from an airplane. Amelia Earhart described Zanesville, Ohio as "the most recognizable city in the country" because of its Y-shaped bridge,[2] and the pilots of Enola Gay aimed for Hiroshima's T-shaped Aioi Bridge when they dropped the atom bomb.[3]

Locations and features

Bridge name Location Coordinates Description Image
Aioi Bridge Hiroshima, Japan 34°23′47″N 132°27′09″E / 34.3964°N 132.4526°E / 34.3964; 132.4526 (Aioi Bridge) Vehicle and pedestrian T-bridge.
Bergues Bridge (Pont des Bergues) Geneva, Switzerland 46°12′21″N 6°08′49″E / 46.20593°N 6.147054°E / 46.20593; 6.147054 (Bergues Bridge (Pont des Bergues)) Pedestrian Y-bridge over the Rhône.
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee building footbridge Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States 35°03′08″N 85°19′05″W / 35.05223°N 85.31798°W / 35.05223; -85.31798 (BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee building footbridge) T-shaped footbridge.
Bridge With 3 Branches (Le pont à 3 branches) Pont-de-Veyle, France 46°15′59″N 4°52′45″E / 46.266467°N 4.879134°E / 46.266467; 4.879134 (Bridge With 3 Branches (Le pont à 3 branches)) Pedestrian Y-bridge over the Veyle.
Bridge With Three Entrances (Ponte das Três Entradas) Oliveira do Hospital Municipality, Portugal 40°18′24″N 7°52′16″W / 40.306739°N 7.871198°W / 40.306739; -7.871198 (Bridge with Three Entrances) Vehicle and pedestrian Y-bridge.
Butterfly Bridge Copenhagen, Denmark 55°40′40″N 12°35′56″E / 55.677694°N 12.598943°E / 55.677694; 12.598943 (Copenhagen) Pedestrian Y-bridge. Two of the bridge spans may open for passing sailboats. When both spans open at the same time the bridge resembles a butterfly.[4]
Calatrava Bridge Petah Tikva, Israel 32°05′30″N 34°51′59″E / 32.091803°N 34.86641°E / 32.091803; 34.86641 (Caltrava Bridge) Y-shaped footbridge designed by Santiago Calatrava.
Camp Evergreen Girl Scouts Camp bridge Cowlitz County, Washington, United States 46°12′40″N 123°12′24″W / 46.211098°N 123.206755°W / 46.211098; -123.206755 (Bridge at Camp Evergreen Girl Scouts Camp) Pedestrian Y-bridge over Mill Creek.
Chu Y Bridge Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 10°45′03″N 106°41′01″E / 10.750946°N 106.683653°E / 10.750946; 106.683653 (Chu Y Bridge) Vehicle and pedestrian Y-bridge built in 1937.[5]
Colin Glen Forest Park Tri-Bridge Dunmurry, Northern Ireland 54°34′38″N 6°02′04″W / 54.577218°N 6.034307°W / 54.577218; -6.034307 (Raehills Three-Way Footbridge) Y-shaped footbridge.
Eco-Viikki Three Way Bridge Helsinki, Finland 60°13′34″N 25°02′03″E / 60.226107°N 25.034079°E / 60.226107; 25.034079 (Eco-Viikki 3-way Bridge) Pedestrian Y-bridge.
Fogelsangh State Three Way Bridge Veenklooster, Netherlands 53°15′48″N 6°06′35″E / 53.263396°N 6.109713°E / 53.263396; 6.109713 (Fogelsangh State) Pedestrian Y-bridge.
Galena Y-Bridge Galena, Missouri, United States 36°48′19″N 93°27′40″W / 36.805393°N 93.460998°W / 36.805393; -93.460998 (Galena Y-Bridge) Y-shaped bridge historically used for vehicle traffic, now a footbridge.
Jasenovac Tri-Bridge Between Jasenovac, Sisak-Moslavina County, Slavonia and Uštica, Bosnia and Herzegovina 45°16′05″N 16°55′01″E / 45.267997°N 16.916949°E / 45.267997; 16.916949 (Jasenovac Tri-Bridge) Vehicle and pedestrian Y-bridge originally built in 1973, destroyed in 1991, then re-built in 2005.[6]
Kang Ding Tri-Bridge Kang Ding Xian, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China 30°03′21″N 101°57′55″E / 30.05592°N 101.965254°E / 30.05592; 101.965254 (Kang Ding Tri-Bridge) Pedestrian Y-bridge.
Kikko Bridge Aoyamakogen Country Club, Mie Prefecture, Japan 34°42′01″N 136°24′04″E / 34.700234°N 136.401003°E / 34.700234; 136.401003 (Kikko Bridge) Y-shaped footbridge built in 1991.[5]
Lune Millennium Bridge Lancaster, Lancashire, England 54°03′08″N 2°48′09″W / 54.052191°N 2.802525°W / 54.052191; -2.802525 (Lune Millennium Bridge) Y-shaped footbridge.
Louisa/Fort Gay Tri-Bridge Between Fort Gay, West Virginia and Louisa, Kentucky, United States 38°06′59″N 82°35′59″W / 38.11632°N 82.599821°W / 38.11632; -82.599821 (Louisa/Fort Gay Tri-Bridge) Vehicle and pedestrian T-bridge opened in 1906.[6]
Madrid Rio Y Bridge Madrid, Spain 40°24′18″N 3°43′22″W / 40.405114°N 3.722811°W / 40.405114; -3.722811 (Madrid Rio Y Bridge) Y-shaped footbridge over Manzanares River.
Malvina Footbridge Malvina, Mississippi, United States 33°51′08″N 90°55′09″W / 33.852288°N 90.919145°W / 33.852288; -90.919145 (Malvina Footbridge) Wooden vehicle and pedestrian T-bridge built in the late 1920s, and demolished in 1972.[7]
Mangakahia Twin Bridges Nukutawhiti, New Zealand 35°37′26″S 173°50′48″E / 35.623797°S 173.846626°E / -35.623797; 173.846626 (Mangakahia Twin Bridges) Vehicle and pedestrian T-bridge over Mangakahia River.
Margaret Bridge Budapest, Hungary 47°30′53″N 19°02′37″E / 47.514722°N 19.043611°E / 47.514722; 19.043611 (Margaret Bridge) Vehicle and pedestrian Y-bridge.
Noabers Badde, also called Mercedesbrug Veelerveen, Netherlands 53°03′12″N 7°07′39″E / 53.053361°N 7.127363°E / 53.053361; 7.127363 (Noabers Badde of Mercedesbrug) Pedestrian Y-bridge built in 1989 at the convergence of the Mussel, Diamonds, and During canals.[8]
Overseas Highway Pigeon Key, Florida,United States 24°42′15″N 81°09′22″W / 24.704289°N 81.155974°W / 24.704289; -81.155974 (Aioi Bridge) Partially abandoned vehicle and pedestrian T-bridge.
Pierre Corneille Bridge (Pont Pierre-Corneille) Rouen, France 49°26′09″N 1°05′44″E / 49.435948°N 1.095497°E / 49.435948; 1.095497 (Pierre Corneille Bridge) Vehicle and pedestrian T-bridge over the Seine.
Raehills Three-Way Footbridge Lockerbie, Scotland 55°13′38″N 3°27′55″W / 55.227105°N 3.465388°W / 55.227105; -3.465388 (Raehills Three-Way Footbridge) Y-shaped footbridge built in the late 1800s.[9]
Sancha Zijin Bridge/Hama Bridge Xingtai, Hebei, China 37°31′19″N 114°29′08″E / 37.522016°N 114.485609°E / 37.522016; 114.485609 (Sancha Zijin Bridge/Hama Bridge) Vehicle and pedestrian stone Y-bridge built in 1691.[10]
Staniastate footbridge Staniastate, Oentsjerk, Netherlands 53°15′25″N 5°53′50″E / 53.257006°N 5.897111°E / 53.257006; 5.897111 (Staniastate footbridge) Y-shaped footbridge.
Strömsborgsbron Gamla stan, Sweden 59°19′38″N 18°03′51″E / 59.327304°N 18.064282°E / 59.327304; 18.064282 (Strömsborgsbron) Vehicle and pedestrian T-bridge.
Thetford Footbridge Thetford, England 52°24′48″N 0°44′49″E / 52.413277°N 0.746904°E / 52.413277; 0.746904 (Thetford Footbridge) Y-shaped footbridge.
Three-Way Bridge Lyons Falls, New York, United States 43°37′01″N 75°21′26″W / 43.616879°N 75.357202°W / 43.616879; -75.357202 (Three-Way Bridge) Vehicle and pedestrian wooden T-bridge opened in 1849, replaced with steel in 1916, and demolished in 1965.[11]
Treponti Comacchio, Italy 44°41′35″N 12°11′00″E / 44.692984°N 12.18329°E / 44.692984; 12.18329 (Treponti) Five-way stone footbridge at the intersection of five canals, built in 1634.[6]
The Tridge (Brighton) Brighton, Michigan, United States 42°31′50″N 83°46′59″W / 42.530473°N 83.783022°W / 42.530473; -83.783022 (The Tridge (Brighton)) Y-shaped footbridge.[12]
The Tridge (Midland) Midland, Michigan, United States 43°36′40″N 84°14′55″W / 43.611052°N 84.248689°W / 43.611052; -84.248689 (The Tridge (Midland)) Y-shaped footbridge.
The Tridge (Ypsilanti) Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States 42°14′44″N 83°36′42″W / 42.24561°N 83.6116°W / 42.24561; -83.6116 (The Tridge (Ypsilanti)) Y-shaped footbridge.
Trinity Bridge (Crowland) Crowland, Lincolnshire, England 52°40′33″N 0°10′06″W / 52.6757°N 0.168281°W / 52.6757; -0.168281 (Trinity Bridge) Y-shaped stone footbridge.
Trinity Bridge (Greater Manchester) Greater Manchester, England 53°28′58″N 2°15′04″W / 53.482717°N 2.251098°W / 53.482717; -2.251098 (Caltrava Bridge) Y-shaped footbridge over River Irwell, designed by Santiago Calatrava.
Vijversburg Estate Tri-Bridge Tytsjerk, Netherlands 53°13′01″N 5°54′28″E / 53.217052°N 5.907743°E / 53.217052; 5.907743 (Vijversburg Estate Tri-Bridge) Y-shaped footbridge.
Vines Mansion Bridge Loganville, Georgia, United States 33°51′43″N 83°55′25″W / 33.862035°N 83.923614°W / 33.862035; -83.923614 (Vines Mansion Bridge) Y-shaped footbridge.
Ypsilon Bridge Drammen, Norway 59°44′40″N 10°11′43″E / 59.744396°N 10.195313°E / 59.744396; 10.195313 (Ypsilon Bridge) Y-shaped footbridge.
Zanesville Y-Bridge Zanesville, Ohio, United States 39°56′26″N 82°00′52″W / 39.940417°N 82.014306°W / 39.940417; -82.014306 (Zanesville Y-Bridge) Vehicle and pedestrian Y-bridge.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tri-bridges.
  1. 1 2 "The Tridge – Michigan's Three Way Bridge". Kuriositas. January 2, 2012.
  2. "Y Bridge". Zanesville Muskingum County Conventions & Visitor's Bureau. Retrieved January 2014.
  3. "Aioi Bridge". Hiroshima & Nagasaki Remembered. Retrieved January 2014.
  4. "Butterfly Bridge / Dietmar Feichtinger Architectes". ArchDaily. April 19, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Beautiful Tri-Bridges Around the World". Emorfes. October 21, 2010.
  6. 1 2 3 "Tri-Bridges Around the World". November 3, 2012.
  7. "Phalia / Malvina" (PDF). Msgw.org. Retrieved December 2015.
  8. "Veelerveen (Gemeente Bellingwedde)". rtvnoord. Retrieved August 2014.
  9. "Raehills, Wallace's Loup, Footbridge". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved February 2014.
  10. "Sancha Zijin Bridge aka Hama Bridge". Robert Cortright. Retrieved January 2014.
  11. "Three-Way Bridge". Village of Lyons Falls. Retrieved January 2014.
  12. "Brighton Downtown Development Authority - Standard Streetscape Details" (PDF). City of Brighton. July 2006.
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