Princess of Wales Bridge
The Princess of Wales Bridge is a dual carriageway road bridge carrying the Teesdale Boulevard across the River Tees in Stockton-on-Tees in the Northeast of England. The bridge links on the south bank of the river, Teesdale Business Park in Thornaby-on-Tees to the north bank at the north end of Riverside Road at a gyratory system in Stockton-on-Tees. The bridge is sometimes referred to as the Diana Bridge or the Princess Diana Bridge, named after the late Diana, Princess of Wales. The bridge is located down river of, and just  outside Stockton town centre. Design. The bridge is of a slab and girder design with concrete piers and steel plate girder decking. The bridge has three spans – the centre span is 40 metres with two side spans of 30 metres each. The bridge has four steel plate girders with composite concrete decking and the abutments and piers are supported on steel H piles driven to sandstone bedrock. Construction. The bridge was commissioned by the Teesside Development Corporation and built at a cost of £3 million by Tarmac Group. Operation. The bridge was inaugurated on 23 September 1992 by Diana , Princess of Wales. On rare occasions the bridge is closed for fireworks events. After the death of Diana, Princess of Wales the bridge was fitted with two memorial plaques. Local facilities. Just downriver of the bridge is the River Tees Watersports Centre hosting watersports such as rowing, canoeing, waterskiing, jet skiing and dragon boat racing.