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The Hulme Arch
 The Hulme Arch spans
Princess Road and
provides access for pedestrians and traffic
commuting from
Hulme into the university and hospital corridor along
Oxford
Road. The bridge was designed by Chris Wilkinson
of the
architectural practice of Wilkinson Eyre.
 They describe the Arch as follows: "The design achieves visual complexity from geometric simplicity. The 25m high arch is parabolic in form, its trapezoidal section tapering in opposite directions in both plan and elevation. Two sets of cable stays are arranged to interlock and overlap, fanning out in opposite directions to create a set of planes which twist and change as the driver passes below."  Prior to the
redevelopment of
Hulme in the 1960s and 70s, Stretford Road was a
vibrant shopping
corridor. (Click on the links below to see images of
Stretford
Road in the 1960s.)
It cut through the
district
before entering All Saints
and becoming Cavendish Street as it passed through
Grosvenor
Square. (click on the link below to see
Cavendish Street in 1972)
 In 1965 the
architectural
practice of Wilson & Womersley submitted a plan
for a £4 Million
redevelopment of Hulme which involved the construction
of thirteen
tower
blocks, low-rise concrete blocks connected together by
aerial walkways,
and the four six-storey crescents connected by
walkways and bridges.
 The image above is
shown with
the generous permission of BlomAerofilms
The now infamous Hulme
Crescents were constructed across what had been
Stretford Road and traffic heading into the city
centre was diverted
around the crescents via Royce Road or Rolls Crescent
(named in honour
of the Rolls Royce factory that was once located in
Hulme).
Stretford Road disappeared between Chorlton Road and
Princess Road to
be replaced by a pedestrial pathway known as Hulme
Walk.
 In the 1960s the
Mancunian Way
had been constructed across the top of the Hulme
district and later
Princess Road was built along the route of Medlock
Street.
Princess Road passed by Hulme in a deep cutting and this
was a
significant barrier between the centre of Hulme and the
Oxford Road
corridor. In 1991 work began on the demolition of
the Crescents
and a complete rethink of the housing provision in
Hulme. The
completion of the Hulme Arch in 1997, at a cost of
£2Million, once
again opened up a transport corridor along the route of
the old
Streford Road. The new section of road between
Chorlton Road and
Princess Road, is known as Birchall Way.
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