History

• The Belize City Swing Bridge was constructed in Liverpool, England, and brought to Belize City by a United States company headquartered in New Orleans. It replaced several wooden bridges that had been built since the mid-1800s by locals to cross Haulover Creek. Haulover Creek is actually the inlet for the Belize River but was so named because cattlemen had to pull their cattle across the creek with ropes, actually "hauling over the creek." The bridge was constructed in 1922 and installation was finished in 1923. It was manually opened by four men hand cranking, once in the morning and again in the evening, allowing the boat traffic through.
  
  

Purpose

• The purpose of the Swing Bridge was to allow sailing fishing boats with tall masts past the bridge to continue up river to offer supplies and services to the city. Traffic would stop for well over an hour to allow the bridge to turn parallel with the river and return to its perpendicular position across the river.
  
  

Location

• The Belize City Swing Bridge is located downtown and ties the north side of the city with the south. The bridge connects Market Square with North Front Street and is one of three bridges that bind the city. The Swing Bridge is close to the water taxi terminals and the cruise ship markets. The bridge is very narrow and is steeply accessed, often hosting traffic snarls during peak hours. Pedestrian traffic is always heavy.
  
  

Renovations

• The Swing Bridge was damaged in the hurricane of 1931, a Category 5 storm. The bridge was said to have moved into the street during this most severe of all hurricanes ever to hit Belize. It was again hit by Hurricane Hattie in 1961 and Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Repairs were made after Mitch, and the bridge sported a new bright yellow coat of paint. Much talk has been made about automating the bridge. Locals seem to balk at this, realizing it will take away a major tourist destination for Belize City. Since 2007, the bridge is only manually opened by special request.
  
  

Viewing the Bridge

• The best way to see the Swing Bridge is on foot or by boat. During the day, a walking tour of the area will allow inspection of the underpinnings from the north or south river's edge, demonstrating how it would work. Loading into a water taxi and waiting for departure, this view of the bridge clearly reveals the central pivot upon which the bridge turns. The Belize Swing Bridge remains a simple engineering solution for the complex problem of moving people and goods in multiple transportation modes.