Wentbridge Viaduct Carrying Bypass Over Valley Of River Went

Wentbridge Viaduct is a road bridge built in 1961 that carries the bypass over the valley of the River Went. Designed by the West Riding County Council Bridges department, with F A Sims as the senior designer and resident engineer, the viaduct is constructed from prestressed concrete. It features a continuous beam over three spans measuring 140, 190, and 140 feet, supported at the abutments and by two raking legs that are hinged at the top and bottom. The span between the bottoms of the legs is 308 feet. This structure is notable for its early use of prestressing cables that are external to the concrete sections, as well as its early use of precast concrete hinges, which were tested for load and rotation by the Cement and Concrete Association. When it was built, it was the largest structure of its kind in Europe and was recognized in 1964 by the Museum of Modern Art in New York as a significant example of twentieth-century engineering.