Krung Thon Bridge is a bridge

Bridge

A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...

 over the Chao Phraya River

Chao Phraya River

The Chao Phraya is a major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It runs through Bangkok, the capital city, and then empties into the Gulf of Thailand.-Etymology:...

 in Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

, in Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

, connecting the districts Dusit

Dusit

Dusit is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand.The district forms the main administrative center of Thailand, as both the national parliament as well as the royal palace are located in this district, as well as several ministries...

 and Bang Phlat

Bang Phlat

Bang Phlat is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. Its neighbor, clockwise from north, are Amphoe Bang Kruai of Nonthaburi Province, Bang Sue, Dusit, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok Noi, and Taling Chan districts of Bangkok.-History:...

. The bridge has 6 spans, and consists of a steel

Steel

Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...

 superstructure resting on concrete pier

Pier

A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...

s.

History

Construction on the bridge began on August 31, 1954, by the Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese company Fuji Car Manufacturing Co., Ltd., with Sahawitsawa Kan Yotha Co., Ltd. as its local representative. A cornerstone

Cornerstone

The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...

 ceremony was held on June 24, 1955. Construction was completed in late 1957, and the bridge was first opened to traffic on March 7, 1958. It was constructed to relieve traffic on Memorial Bridge

Memorial Bridge, Bangkok

The Memorial Bridge is a bridge over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, in Thailand, connecting the districts Phra Nakhon and Thonburi.The bridge was opened on 6 April 1932, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Chakri Dynasty...

, and cost 24,837,500 baht.

Krung Thong Bridge has been known to locals as Sang Hi Bridge since construction began, before it was officially christened, because it extends from Ratchawithi Road

Ratchawithi Road

Ratchawithi Road, also spelled Rajvithi is a major road in Bangkok, Thailand. It begins in Ratchathewi district at Sam Liam Din Daeng Junction, where it intersects with Din Daeng Road and Ratchaprarop Road, and runs northwest, past Victory Monument Circle, through Dusit district, and ultimately...

, formerly named Sang Hi Road.

Dimensions

The length of the bridge alone is 366.20 meters, with a 185.50 meter approach on the east side of the river, and a 97.20 meter approach on the west, for a total length of 648.90 meters. At its central point, the bridge is 7.5 meters above mean sea level.

The bridge has four lanes for motor vehicle traffic, two in each direction, with no divider. Pedestrian paths 2.5 meters wide run along either side of the bridge.

External links

• Krung Thon Bridge, Bureau of Maintenance and Traffic Safety, Thailand. Retrieved on 31 December 2007