Leith Street

Installing the new bridge

Leith Street

November 2003

This new bridge links the St James Hotel and Shopping Centre on the west side of Leith Street with a new multi-storey car park and Omni Centre on the east side of the street.

The bridge was lifted into position in sections, throughout the day on Sunday 23 November 2003.  Here, the final section is still on a low-loader truck in Leith Street.  The street has been closed to traffic for the day.

This bridge will replace an older one, criticised for having little architectural merit, and which became known as the 'bridge to nowhere' after developments on the east side of Leith Street were abandoned.

Now, about three decades later, the east side of the street has been developed.  The Omni Centre and an underground car park have been built.  The Omni Centre can be seen behind the bridge.

Calton Hill is in the upper-right corner of the picture.

Here is another view of the bridge being installed:

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