The old swing bridge will open to walkers again this summer

After two years of repairs, the river crossing gets new planks, new lights and a viewing platform.

By the newsroom · 4 min read

The swing bridge at dusk. Illustration.

The swing bridge, the oldest crossing on the river, will reopen to people on foot and on bicycles at the start of the summer, the city's works department said this week.

The bridge closed two winters ago, when inspectors found that several of the wooden deck planks had rotted through. Since then, a team has replaced the deck, repainted the iron frame and rebuilt the small control house that still turns the bridge for tall boats twice a month.

"It is the bridge people tell us they miss the most," said a spokesperson for the works department. "It is the quickest way from the market to the park, and the best view of the river in town."

The new deck is made of larch from a forest north of the city, chosen because it weathers well without treatment. Lamps set low along the railings light the way at night without shining on the water, to spare the birds that nest under the arches.

On the north side, a small platform now juts out over the bank, with two benches and a panel telling the story of the bridge, from the ferry that came before it to the day it first swung open.

The works department expects the last checks to be done by the end of spring. A small opening is planned for the first weekend the bridge is open, with music from the school band and the market's stalls on both banks.

Until then, the nearest crossing remains the main road bridge, about ten minutes' walk downstream.