Frederick IX Bridge

The Frederick IX bridge spans the Guldborgsund strait between the islands of Falster and Lolland in Denmark. It joins the larger part of Nykøbing Falster with the smaller part of the town on Lolland. It is 295m long and 25m wide and was constructed between 1960 and 1962, opening officially on 14 May 1963. Located in Denmark, Guldborgsund is the name of a long, narrow and shallow strait between Lolland and Falste, and the name of the land mass immediately next to said straight on Lolland. ... Falster is a Danish island. ... Lolland (formerly spelled Laaland) is the fourth largest island of Denmark, with an area of some 1,243 square kilometers. ... Nykøbing Falster is a municipality in south Denmark, in the county of Storstrøm. ...

rail and road bascules in raised position

The bridge has a central 20m span with two bascules, both on the eastern side of the bridge. One carries four lanes of vehicle traffic while the other carries a rail link. The two parts normally operate together. The bridge is manned during the day and opened on request for passing ships, but may only be opened once every half hour. It is planned for the bridge to be re-equipped for automatic operation. Salmon Bay Bridge, Seattle, USA; a single leaf through truss with an above-deck counterweight A bascule bridge is a drawbridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, or leaf, throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic. ...

chamber into which the bascule counterweights sink when raised, showing drive racks

The bascules consist of a long bridge span and a short counterweight section. Each bascule is supported by two pivot bearings, one either side. Two motors, one either side of the bridge, turn shafts passing through the centre of the pivot bearings. Further shafts take power to the rear of the counterweights, where there are pinions pressing against a rack mounted in the wall of the counterweight chamber, which drive the bascule.

underside of raised bascules, showing tipped up railings and yellow driveshaft

underside of bascules, showing bearings about which bascules rotate, and yellow drive shaft

Bascules falling

External links

• Bridge data
• Bridge data from Structurae
• History of the bridge (in danish)