The motorway two-lane cantilever bridge across the bay was built in 1960, designed by Norwegian architect Erling Vikshø. The bridge took over some of the of the traffic load carried prior to its construction by a ferry service Ferry crossing.
The Tromsø reinforced concrete bridge is 1,036 metres long, 8.3 metres wide, and has 58 spans. In 2005, a high suicide fence was installed on the bridge, because its height (38 metres above sea level) attracted people who decided to take their own lives.
Both sides are flanked by cycle paths and pedestrian pavements. Since its opening, the Tromsøya Bridge has become one of Norway's largest cultural Norwegian cultural monuments.
