Glasgow Bridge stands at the foot of Jamaica Street and was built on the site of an earlier Glasgow Bridge which was designed by the Scottish engineer Thomas Telford, first President of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

The desire for a wider crossing, the deepening of the river by intermittent dredging, and the removal of the weir above Albert Bridge in 1880, all conspired against the old bridge and in 1899, after many schemes had been considered, a replacement bridge was built.

By popular demand, it was designed as a replica of Telford's bridge, although 20ft wider and founded on steel caissons up to 100ft deep.