RUNCORN BRIDGE (SILVER JUBILEE BRIDGE), RUNCORN, CHESHIRE, ENGLAND.
THE RUNCORN BRIDGE OR SILVER JUBILEE BRIDGE CROSSES THE RIVER MERSEY AND THE MANCHESTER SHIP CANAL AT RUNCORN GAP BETWEEN RUNCORN AND WIDNES IN CHESHIRE, ENGLAND. IT WAS OPENED IN 1961 AS A REPLACEMENT FOR THE WIDNES-RUNCORN TRANSPORTER BRIDGE, AND WAS INITIALLY KNOWN SIMPLY AS THE RUNCORN BRIDGE OR RUNCORN–WIDNES BRIDGE. IN 1975–77 IT WAS WIDENED, AFTER WHICH IT WAS GIVEN ITS OFFICIAL NAME IN HONOUR OF THE QUEEN'S SILVER JUBILEE. 
THE MAIN ARCH IS 1,082 FEET (330 M) LONG AND EACH SIDE ARCH MEASURES 250 FEET (76 M). DURING ITS CONSTRUCTION 720,000 RIVETS WERE USED. ITS HEIGHT OVER THE RIVER BED IS 285 FEET (87 M) AND THE HEADROOM OVER THE SHIP CANAL IS 80 FEET (24 M). DURING ITS CONSTRUCTION 5,900 TONS OF STEEL WERE USED AND 7,500 TONS OF CONCRETE. THE BRIDGE REQUIRES CONSTANT REPAINTING AND FOR THIS ONE COAT USES 6,000 IMPERIAL GALLONS (27,277 L) OF PAINT. ON THE RUNCORN SIDE, THE APPROACH VIADUCTS ARE 1,076 FEET (328 M) IN LENGTH, AND ON THE WIDNES SIDE 498 FEET (152 M). THE COST OF CONSTRUCTING THE BRIDGE WAS £2,433,000. AT THE TIME OF ITS CONSTRUCTION IT HAD THE THIRD LONGEST STEEL ARCH SPAN IN THE WORLD. IT HAD THE LONGEST VEHICULAR SPAN IN THE COUNTRY, BUT THIS RECORD WAS HELD FOR ONLY A FEW WEEKS UNTIL THE TAMAR BRIDGE WAS COMPLETED. BY 2001 IT WAS THE 10TH LONGEST STEEL ARCH BRIDGE, AND AT THAT TIME WAS JUST 20 CENTIMETRES (8 IN) SHORT OF HAVING EUROPE'S LARGEST SPAN
THE BRIDGE TRANSFORMED RUNCORN FROM AN EFFECTIVE CUL-DE-SAC INTO A TOWN WITH THROUGH TRAFFIC. ROAD COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN NORTH CHESHIRE AND SOUTH LANCASHIRE WERE IMMEDIATELY IMPROVED. OVER 80,000 VEHICLES A DAY USE THIS BRIDGE TO CROSS THE RIVER MERSEY.
THE BRIDGE IS RECORDED IN THE NATIONAL HERITAGE LIST FOR ENGLAND AS A DESIGNATED GRADE II LISTED BUILDING. 

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