The Novi Sad Friendship Bridge is a movable swing bridge crossing the River Wensum in Norwich, named in honour of twinning links between the city and Novi Sad in Serbia. The bridge provides access to a commercial riverside development which is helping to regenerate a historic but run down area of the city.

It comprises two approach spans and carries a 4.5m wide footway and a cycleway, which is an important element in creating pedestrian and cycle links between the development and the city centre.

The 30m bridge is a cable stayed structure with a light steel deck. The bridge rotates about the central pier where a pair of towers support the stays. When swinging, it rotates on rollers on a circular steel bearing track, its hydraulic motors opening the bridge in 60 seconds in normal operation.

To determine the load tolerances of the bridge, Buro Happold’s engineers carried out finite element and dynamic analysis using advanced LUSAS modelling software.

Date: Completed in 2001