Connecting Castledykes with Troqueer, a half-mile (1 km) southeast of the centre of Dumfries, the Kirkpatrick MacMillan Bridge is the furthest downstream of the town's bridges and the lowest crossing point of the River Nith. Opened on 28th February 2006 by Tavish Scott MSP, the Minister of Transport, this foot-bridge also represents a key link in the National Cycle Network. It was named after Kirkpatrick Macmillan, inventor of the bicycle, who was born to the north of Dumfries in 1813.
Comprising a single span of 67.5m (221 feet), the steel deck of the bridge, weighing 70 tons, is suspended from two circular steel arches by high-tensile bars. The parapets are of stainless steel.
The bridge was a joint initiative between Dumfries and Galloway Council, the Scottish Executive, Sustrans and the European Union. It has proved controversial because it effectively restricted vessels on the Nith reaching Dumfries.
