▁In ▁the ▁ 1 7 6 0 s ▁a ▁bill ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁bridge ▁was ▁carried ▁through ▁parliament ▁by ▁the ▁Br istol ▁MP ▁Sir ▁Jar rit ▁S my th . ▁By ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁increase ▁in ▁traffic ▁and ▁the ▁enc ro achment ▁of ▁sh ops ▁on ▁the ▁road way ▁made ▁the ▁bridge ▁fat ally ▁dangerous ▁for ▁many ▁ped est ri ans . ▁A ▁new ▁bridge , ▁designed ▁by ▁James ▁Br id ges ▁and ▁finished ▁by ▁Thomas ▁Pat y ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 9 ▁and ▁ 1 7 7 6 . ▁R esent ment ▁at ▁the ▁to ll s ▁exact ed ▁to ▁cross ▁the ▁new ▁bridge ▁occasion ed ▁the ▁Br istol ▁Bridge ▁Ri ot ▁of ▁ 1 7 9 3 . ▁Other ▁cross ings ▁were ▁considered , ▁but ▁were ▁restricted ▁by ▁Admir alty ▁rules ▁that ▁st ip ulated ▁that ▁any ▁bridge ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁at ▁least ▁ ▁above ▁the ▁water ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁tall - m asted ▁war ships ▁to ▁Br istol ▁Har bour . ▁To ▁achieve ▁this , ▁any ▁bridge ▁constructed ▁between ▁Br istol ▁Bridge ▁and ▁Av on ▁G orge , ▁from ▁Hot well s ▁to ▁As ht on ▁Gate , ▁would ▁require ▁massive ▁emb ank ments ▁and ▁vi ad uct s . ▁The ▁alternative ▁was ▁to ▁build ▁across ▁the ▁narrow est ▁point ▁of ▁the ▁Av on ▁G orge , ▁well ▁above ▁the ▁height ▁required ▁for ▁sh ipping . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 5 3 ▁Br istol ian ▁merchant ▁William ▁V ick