Being built at a cost of more than R11million, this is the fifth bridge to be built at Century City spanning the Grand Canal and providing pedestrian links between the north and south banks.

The new 86m bridge links the Canal Walk precinct directly with the “internal street’ of Crystal Towers, which comprises a five star 180 room African Pride hotel and spa, 91 luxury apartments and 7000 square metres of Triple A grade offices. The internal street, on to which a number of restaurants spill,  is in turn   a major pedestrian arterial route between the Crystal Towers precinct and the planned Bridgeways Precinct at Century City.

Greg Deans, a director of developers Rabie Property Group, said the first phase of the 100 000 square metre Bridgeways Precinct development, which will offices, retailing and hotels, was  planned on a site south west of Crystal Towers near the Virgin Active gym.

“Century City is included in phase one of the City’s Bus Rapid Transit System and the planned Century City BRT station is in close proximity to Crystal Towers so the new bridge will also be another link for those passengers wishing to visit the Canal Walk precinct.”

Deans said they had designed the bridge landing on the Canal Walk precinct in such a way  that future expansion of the shopping centre would be able to interface relatively seamlessly with the bridge providing easy access to the upper level of the centre.

Designed by Vivid Architects, the eye-catching 72 ton bridge is lit up at night by low voltage LED lighting on the 19m high arch and walkway with the arch lighting changing colour every five minutes creating an intriguing ambiance.

Construction of the bridge has taken about nine months and is due for completion September 2010.