The Dartford River Crossing or the Dartford Crossing is a major road transport artery crossing of the River Thames connecting Dartford (Kent) in the south to Thurrock (Essex) in the north using the two road tunnels as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, a 137 metre high cable-stayed bridge. The crossing opened with a single road tunnel in 1963 followed by a second in 1980. The QEII Bridge was built alongside the tunnels and opened in 1991.