 Victoria Bridge was 703 feet ( 214 m ) long with a central span of 333 feet ( 101 m ) , and the roadway was 32 feet ( 9 @.@ 8 m ) wide with a 7 @-@ foot @-@ 6 @-@ inch ( 2 @.@ 29 m ) footpath on either side , making a total width of 47 feet ( 14 m ) . Large lamps were set at the tops of the four towers , which were only to be lit when Queen Victoria was spending the night in London . The central span was inscribed with the date of construction and the words " Gloria Deo in Excelsis " ( " Glory to God in the Highest " ) . It took seven years to build , at a total cost of £ 90 @,@ 000 ( about £ 8 @.@ 17 million in 2016 ) . The controversial tolls were collected from octagonal stone tollhouses at each end of the bridge . 
