Little Belt Bridge

The Little Belt Bridge (Gamle Lillebæltsbro), also known as The Old Little Belt Bridge, is a truss bridge over the Little Belt strait in Denmark. The first bridge to have been constructed over the strait, it spans from Snoghoj on Jutland to Kongebrogaarden on Funen. It is owned by the state and Banedanmark, the Danish railway authority, is responsible for its maintenance. The bridge was the first step in linking the three parts of Denmark by road, with the second step completed with the Great Belt Bridge in June 1998; previously, only boats and later ferries had been used to transport people over the belts.

Little Belt Bridge

Official name              Gamle Lillebæltsbro

Carries                        Railway, motor vehicles

Crosses                       Little Belt

Design                        Truss bridge 

Total length               1178 metres 

Width                         20,5 metres 

Longest span              220 metres 

Clearance below         33 metres 

Opening date             14 May 1935

Construction of the bridge began in 1929 and it was opened for traffic on 14 May 1935. On the bridge there are two railway tracks, two narrow lanes for cars to cross as well as a sidewalk for pedestrians.

When the new Little Belt Bridge came into use in 1970, the bridge lost its function as the main traffic line for cars between Funen and Jutland; however, it is still used as the only railway bridge between Jutland and Funen and thus the only railway line connecting Jutland with Zealand as well, as well as to carry traffic between Fredericia and Middelfart and their neighbouring villages.