Grafton Bridge was completed in 1910 at a cost of ₤39,480, and at the time was the world’s largest single span of reinforced concrete.  It was designed by Mr R F Moore, Chief Engineer of the Ferro Concrete Co of Australia and overseen by the City Council Engineer Mr J Tyler.  Mr R F Moore was born in the USA, educated in England and joined the Royal Engineers.  He joined the Ferro Concrete Co of
Australia in c.1903.

Grafton Bridge spans 97.6m and has a total length of 296.9m.  The width of the bridge is 11.27m and the main piers stand 30.5m high.  The parapet is concrete, 1.4m high which supports 26 lamp posts.  These steel lamps were recently upgraded by Auckland City Council to replicate the original lamps of 1910. 
G Thornton  provides further details of the structure of the bridge from the 1910 issue of Progress:

“The bearing plates for the girders are fixed on the piers with ample room for expansion.  The main piers … are 100 feet (30.5m) and are cylindrical; the walls being 12 inches (300mm) to 8 inches (200mm) thickness.”

“The curbs of the paths are of Coromandel granite, and the grade of the bridge is one in seventy-four.”

The purpose of the bridge was to provide a permanent link between the city centre and the hospital, Auckland Domain and the residential developments in Grafton.  It replaced two earlier footbridges, the first being built in 1884 at a cost of ₤1,250.  It became so unstable that police and council staff were stationed at either end of the footbridge to prevent more than 50 people crossing at one time.  Pedestrians were also asked to break step.  The footbridge had the following notice:

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PEDESTRIANS are REQUESTED not to CROWD
THE BRIDGE and to proceed along at a WALKING
PACE ONLY.  PERSONS RUNNING, JUMPING or
DAMAGING the BRIDGE in any way WILL BE
PROSECUTED.  PENALTY ₤5.

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The footbridge became so unstable that it was demolished and replaced with a small footbridge at a much lower level.

When built, Grafton Bridge was locally known as “Myers Folly” after the Mayor of Auckland who promoted it.  Myers was subject to much criticism over the cost of the bridge.  People pointed out that he stood to gain financially because he owned a hotel at one end of the proposed bridge. 

People were so distrustful of the safety of Grafton Bridge that Council sent two 30 ton steamrollers over the bridge to prove its safety.  Speed limits were imposed on vehicles crossing the bridge.  This was at a time when Council was so deeply concerned about public safety that there was a bylaw prohibiting women wearing hatpins on public transport.

In the 1930s, a safety fence was erected to prevent would-be suicides.  The fence was removed and the lamp posts renovated in 1997.  This gave a romantic view of the bridge, particularly at night.  A new curved glass structure has recently been built over the footpath to deal again with would-be suicides.