The C. H. Mitchell bridge, also known as the Mtamvuna bridge, is the second longest single span bridge in South Africa. The bridge's deck is suspended by a pair of cable hangers systems, which are supported by a cross-braced double steel arch. It is in length and the highest point on its arch is above the roadway. The bridge is located south of Port Edward and spans the Mtamvuna River. It connects

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...

to the

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...

and is one of the largest truss arch bridges in South Africa. It is located on the R61 Route (future

N2 Wild Coast Toll Route The N2 is a national route in South Africa that runs from Cape Town through George, Gqeberha, East London, Mthatha and Durban to Ermelo. It is the main highway along the Indian Ocean coast of the country. Its current length of makes it the ...

History

The bridge was constructed in 1966 and is similar in design to the

Fredrikstad Bridge The Fredrikstad Bridge is an arch bridge in the city of Fredrikstad in Østfold county, Norway. It crosses the river Glomma, and connects the western and eastern parts of the city. The bridge is 824 metres long, with a main span of 196 metres. The ...

in Norway. It replaced a

ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...

crossing that had been in operation since 1943. The ferry crossing was originally located about from the mouth of the river but was moved further upstream. In 1963 JBH were awarded the R. 535,000 contract for the construction of the new bridge. It was constructed from corten steel, which is known for its increased resistance to atmospheric corrosion. It was formally handed over to the Public Works Department on 9 September 1966 and opened at the end of that year. The South African Institute of Civil Engineers awarded it the 'Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement' for 1966. The bridge was named after a local pioneer, Charles Henry Mitchell, the father of Douglas Edgar Mitchell (1896–1988), MP for Natal South Coast (1948-1972). The bridge underwent substantial refurbishment and modifications between 2000 and 2001. In the late evening on 27 November 2002 the bridge was significantly damaged by two explosive devices which were detonated on the Eastern Cape side of the bridge. The bombings were later attributed to the

Boeremag The Boeremag (, "Boer Force") is the name by which a group of men convicted of treason in South Africa is commonly known. The South African government described them as a South African right-wing terrorist organization with white separatist aim ...

, a right-wing terrorist organisation, with white separatist aims. The explosions damaged the steel arch structure as well as its two supports, and the bridge was closed to traffic for three weeks whilst being repaired. The bridge repair received a South African Institute of Civil Engineers award in the technical category in 2006. 20200114 Mtamvuna bridge

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{{Commons Bridges in South Africa N2 road (South Africa) Buildings and structures in KwaZulu-Natal Bridges completed in 1966 Steel bridges Deck arch bridges

History

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