ABSTRACT
Bridges are features of transport routes and, as such, are elements in the general impact of transport infrastructure on land resources. High bridge approach embankments cut across the land. But the main impact of bridge structures is visual. From the days of Roman aqueducts, a host of bridges have become monuments to extraordinary construction achievement. Others have been recognized as splendid, elegant or controversial works of art. Many are neutrally functional, a few clumsy or, to some eyes, even offensive. The more a bridge displays the elegant logic or the daring ingenuity by which it stands up, the more it is likely to be seen favourably.
