Fairfield Bridge is a distinctive and graceful road bridge, built across the Waikato River in 1937. A ferro-concrete structure of bowstring design, it was erected on the northern outskirts of Hamilton as an alternative crossing to the steel-arched Victoria Bridge in the city centre. Its construction serviced the needs of the local farming community but also encouraged the suburban spread of the town, with the area being incorporated within the city boundaries by 1949. It was funded by a combination of local and central authorities, supervised by the Waikato County Council, and unveiled by Bob Semple (1873-1955), Minister of Public Works in the first Labour administration of 1935. The bridge was built with three bowstring arches and a pierced balustrade of geometric style. Its main technological achievement lay in the central span of 39.6 m (130 feet), which was considered the largest in New Zealand for this form of concrete structure when the bridge was opened. Elegant piers enhanced its modern appearance, as did Art Deco lamp standards between each arch. The structure was designed by the Auckland-based firm of Jones and Adams, pioneer exponents of concrete bridges in the region. Bowstring structures using concrete had been introduced to New Zealand in 1917, but were not popularly adopted until the mid 1930s. Still in regular use, the bridge was registered as a Historic Place in 1990, after which an extensive conservation programme was carried out. Fairfield Bridge is nationally significant for being at the forefront of using concrete technology to construct bowstring bridges. It is one of the best preserved of these structures from their 'golden age' in the 1930s. Visually, it has been considered the epitome of concrete bowstring bridge design in New Zealand, and is important for its incorporation of Art Deco style. The structure is historically valuable for its links with suburban growth and road transport in the years before the Second World War, having played a considerable role in the expansion of Hamilton. Its national and regional importance are attested to by its association with New Zealand's first Labour government and the engineering firm of Jones and Adams. It is a prominent local landmark enhanced by its river setting and the presence of Art Deco housing at both ends of the bridge. It has additional value for its association with other historic structures along the Waikato River, including Victoria Bridge in central Hamilton.