▁and ▁car ries ▁two ▁ ▁wide ▁walk ways , ▁and ▁a ▁ ▁wide ▁road . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁built , ▁the ▁ ▁central ▁span ▁was ▁the ▁longest ▁concrete ▁span ▁over ▁the ▁Th ames . ▁ ▁Un us ually ▁for ▁a ▁Th ames ▁bridge , ▁only ▁three ▁of ▁Ch is wick ▁Bridge ' s ▁five ▁sp ans ▁cross ▁the ▁river ; ▁the ▁shorter ▁sp ans ▁at ▁each ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁bridge ▁cross ▁the ▁former ▁to w paths . ▁To ▁allow ▁sufficient ▁clear ance ▁for ▁sh ipping ▁without ▁ste ep ▁incl ines , ▁the ▁approach ▁roads ▁to ▁the ▁bridge ▁are ▁elev ated ▁from ▁some ▁distance ▁back ▁from ▁the ▁river . ▁ ▁The ▁bridge ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁the ▁Cleveland ▁Bridge ▁& ▁Engineering ▁Company ▁at ▁a ▁cost ▁of ▁£ 2 0 8 , 2 8 4 ▁( about ▁£ ▁in ▁). ▁Add itional ▁costs ▁such ▁as ▁building ▁the ▁approach ▁roads ▁and ▁purch asing ▁land ▁brought ▁the ▁total ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁bridge ▁to ▁£ 2 2 7 , 6 0 0 ▁( about ▁£ ▁in ▁). ▁The ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Transport ▁paid ▁ 7 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁cost , ▁with ▁Sur rey ▁and ▁M idd les ex ▁county ▁coun c ils ▁pay ing ▁the ▁remainder . ▁ ▁The ▁bridge ▁was ▁generally ▁well ▁received . ▁Country ▁Life ▁pra ised ▁the ▁design ▁as ▁" reflect ing ▁in ▁its ▁general ▁design ▁the ▁eigh teenth ▁century ▁P all ad ian ▁tradition ▁of ▁Lord ▁Bur ling ton ' s ▁famous ▁villa ▁at ▁Ch is wick ". ▁ ▁Pres ent - day