New Kollidam Bridge Tiruchirapalli (Napier Bridge) The bridge has been modelled on the Napier Bridge in Chennai with bowstring arches, giving it a unique characteristic. The bridge links Srirangam island, wedged between the Cauvery and the Coleroon, with the rest of the district on the northern side. All the 24 spans of the bridge have been constructed, sources in the Highways Department told The Hindu. The bridge has been built to replace the British-built steel girder bridge, which has outlived its utility. The narrow steel bridge was declared a weak structure in 2005. Since then only light vehicles were allowed to go through the bridge and heavy vehicles have to go via the bridge on Tiruchi-Chennai Bypass Road. Motorists travelling between Srirangam and the No.1 tollgate are often caught in traffic snarls on the bridge, running for over 800 metres, in peak hours.
