Nelson Mandela Bridge

Nelson Mandela Bridge

Coordinates	26°11′48″S 28°02′03″E / 26.1967°S 28.0342°E / -26.1967; 28.0342
Carries	Road and pedestrian traffic
Crosses	Railway yard (42 lines)
Locale	Johannesburg
Characteristics
Design	Dissing+Weitling
Total length	284m
Height	27m
Longest span	176m
History
Opened	2003
Location

Nelson Mandela Bridge is a bridge in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the fourth of five bridges which cross the railway lines and sidings located just west of Johannesburg Park Station, the first being the Johan Rissik Bridge adjacent to the station. It was completed in 2003, and cost R38 million^[1] to build.^[2]^[3]^{[unreliable source?]} The proposal for the bridge was to link up two main business areas of Braamfontein and Newtown as well as to rejuvenate and to a certain level modernise the inner city. The bridge forms part of the M27 Route of Johannesburg.

History[edit]

A bridge linking Braamfontein to the Johannesburg city centre was first mooted by Steve Thorne and Gordon Gibson, urban designers, in 1993 in their urban design study of the Inner City of Johannesburg. In their study they named the bridge the Nelson Mandela bridge in recognition of the role Nelson Mandela was having in uniting South African society, and the symbolism of linkage and unity provided by the bridge.

Structural design[edit]

The bridge was constructed over 42 railway lines without disturbing railway traffic and is 284 metres long. There are two pylons, North and South, 42 and 27 metres high respectively. Engineers tried to keep the bridge as light as possible and used a structural steel with a concrete composite deck to keep weight down. Heavier banks along the bridge were reinforced by heavier back spans. The bridge consists of two lanes and has pedestrian walk-ways on either side. The bridge can be viewed from one of Johannesburg's most popular roads, the M1 highway.

References[edit]

Greater Johannesburg

Natural environment

Highveld

Geology

Topography

Rivers and
wetlands

Climate

Cradle of
Humankind

Fossil sites

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Vegetation types

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Nature reserves

Human impact

Communities

Inner City	Johannesburg CBD Albertville Aldara Park Amalgam Auckland Park Belgravia Bellevue Bellevue East Benrose Berea Bertrams Braamfontein Braamfontein Werf Brixton City Deep City and Suburban City and Suburban Industrial Cottesloe Crosby Crown Crown North Doornfontein Droste Park Emmarentia Fairview Ferreirasdorp Fordsburg Forest Town Highlands Hillbrow Homestead Park Jan Hofmeyer Jeppestown Jeppestown South Joubert Park Judith's Paarl Killarney Lake View Estate Langlaagte North Lorentzville Marshalltown Mayfair Mayfair West Melville Milpark New Centre New Doornfontein Newtown North Doornfontein Observatory Paarlshoop Pageview Park Central Parktown Randview Riepen Park Riviera Rossmore Trojan Troyeville Village Deep Village Main Vrededorp Wemmer Westbury Westcliff Yeoville
Northern suburbs and environs	Abbotsford Airdlin Albertskroon Alexandra Atholhurst Atholl Atholl Gardens Bagleyston Barbeque Downs Barbeque Downs Business Park Benmore Gardens Berario Beverley Gardens Birdhaven Birnam Blackheath Blairgowrie Bloubosrand Blue Hills Bordeaux Bramley Bramley North Bramley Park Bridle Park Broadacres Bromhof Bryanbrink Bryanston Bryanston East Bryanston West Buccleuch Bultfontein Bush Hill Carlswald Chartwell Cheltondale Chislehurston Country Life Park Country View Cowdray Park Craighall Craighall Park Cramerview Cresta Crowthorne Dainfern Daniel Brink Park Darrenwood Dennehof Diepsloot Douglasdale Dunhill Dunkeld Dunkeld West Ebony Park Edenburg Elton Hill Epsom Downs Erand Fairland Fairway Fairwood Farmall Fellside Ferndale Fontainebleau Forbesdale Fourways Franklin Roosevelt Park Gallo Manor The Gardens Glen Austin Glenadrienne Greenside Gresswold Greymont Halfway Gardens Halfway House Estate Hawkins Estate Headway Hill Highlands North Houghton Estate Houtkoppen Hurl Park Hurlingham Hurlingham Gardens Hyde Park Illovo Inadan Inanda Ivory Park Johannesburg North Jukskei Park Kaalfontein Kensington B Kentview Kew Khyber Rock Klevehill Park Kya Sand Kya Sands Kyalami AH Kyalami Business Park Kyalami Estates Linden Linksfield Littlefillan Lone Hill Lyme Park Magaliessig Malanshof Marlboro Marlboro Gardens Maroeladal Maryvale Melrose Melrose Estate Melrose North Midrand Midridge Park Mill Hill Millgate Farm Moodie Hill Morningside Morningside Manor New Brighton Newlands Nietgedacht Noordwyk Norscot North Champagne Estates Northcliff Northern Acres Northgate Northriding Norwood Oerder Park Olivedale Orange Grove Osummit Parkhurst Parkmore Parktown North Parkview Parkwood Paulshof Petervale Plooysville President Ridge Rabie Ridge Randburg Randjesfontein AH Randjespark Randpark Randpark Ridge Raumarais Park River Club Riverbend Rivonia Rosebank Rouxville Ruiterhof Salfred Sandhurst Sandown Sandton Savoy Estate Saxonwold Simba Solridge Strathavon Strijdompark Sunninghill Sunrella Sunset Acres Vandia Grove Victoria Victory Park Vorna Valley Waterval Estate Waverley Wierda Valley Willaway Willowild Witkoppen Witpoort Woodlands Woodmead Wynberg Zandspruit
Southern suburbs and environs	Aeroton Alan Manor Alberton Aspen Hills Bassonia Booysens Chrisville Crown Gardens Diepkloof Dobsonville Doornkop Drieziek Eastcliff Elandspark Eldorado Park Electron Elladoone Ennerdale Evans Park Forest Hill Framton Gillview Glenanda Glenesk Glenvista Haddon The Hill Johannesburg South Kanana Park Kenilworth Kibler Park Klipriviersberg Klipriviersberg Estate Kliptown La Rochelle Lawley Lenasia Liefde en Vrede Lindberg Park Linmeyer Mayfield Park Meadowlands Meredale Moffat View Mondeor Mulbarton Nasrec Noordgesig Oakdene Ophirton Orange Farm Orlando Ormonde Phiri Protea Glen Regents Park Regents Park Estate Reuven Rewlatch Reynolds View Ridgeway Risana Rispark Robertsham Roseacre Rosettenville Salisbury Claims Selby South Hills Southdale Southfork Southgate Soweto Springfield Stafford Steeledale Suideroord Theta Towerby Townsview Tulisa Park Turf Club Turffontein Unigray Winchester Hills Zola
East Rand	Allen Grove Aston Manor Bapsfontein Bedfordview Benoni Bezuidenhout Valley Birch Acres Birchleigh Birchleigh North Boksburg Bonaero Park Brakpan Bredell Bruma Cresslawn Croydon Cyrildene Daveyton Dawn Park Dewetshof Duduza Edenvale Edleen Elcedes Elsburg Esther Park Etwatwa Fairmount The Gables Germiston Glen Marais Glenhazel Greenstone Hill Heriotdale Isando Katlehong Kempton Park Kempton Park West Kensington KwaThema Lakeside Langaville Lombardy East Malvern Modderfontein Mountain View Nigel Nimrod Park Norkem Park Oaklands Olifantsfontein Percelia Estate Pomona Primrose Prolecon Raedene Estate Reiger Park Rhodesfield Sandringham Spartan Spes Bona Springs Sunningdale Sunningdale Ridge Sydenham Talboton Terenure Thembisa Thokoza Tsakane Van Riebeeck Park Vosloorus Wanderers View Wattville
West Rand	Azaadville Bekkersdal Blyvooruitzicht Boikarabelo Bosmont Carletonville Claremont Constantia Kloof Coronationville Denver Driefontein East Driefontein Elandsrand Florida Florida Glen Florida Hills Fochville Kagiso Khutsong Krugersdorp Lindley Magaliesburg Mohlakeng Muldersdrift Munsieville Oberholzer Randfontein Rietvallei Roodepoort Sophiatown Venterspos Weltevredenpark Welverdiend West Driefontein Westdene Westonaria Zuurbekom