Constructed in 1904, the Horseshoe Bridge is a classically inspired brick and stucco traffic bridge located in the central business district of Perth. The bridge connects the CBD to Northbridge by allowing traffic to continue along William Street and pass over the railway lines, to the west of Perth railway station. The bridge's name is derived from its shape: a horseshoe. This design was an innovative solution to the problem of bridging a railway within tight urban constraints.
The bridge is a handsome structure of its period and a very sophisticated piece of urban design. The main structural elements of the bridge are of steel, and it is supported by a series of semi-circular arches with rendered decorative treatment. Many of the arches on the Wellington Street elevation have been enclosed with glass, which in the past created shop fronts to retail spaces behind. The balustrades are rendered concrete and sculptures of swans decorate the end piers. These were specifically designed for the bridge project.
The bridge has four traffic lanes, which, in 1986, carried approximately 18,000 vehicles per day into the city. The eastern footpath gives direct access to both city rail station platform.