Mersey Gateway nears completion

It is hard to believe that I have been following the Mersey Gateway project for over 2 years, it does not feel like that long ago since I took the first pictures of the cofferdams that would eventually contain the foundations for the bridge pylons. 

Two and a half years later and the project has celebrated a historic moment as the final section of the bridge deck was complete. The image below shows the last remaining form-traveller in place just after the completion of the final section. 

The completed main bridge deck now spans 1km over the River Mersey supported by 146 stay cables connected to 3 giant pylons, the tallest of which reaches 125m high.

1 of the 3 tower cranes which were being used to construct the pylons has already been dismantled with the other 2 soon to follow, once scaffolding around the north and south pylons has been removed. Once cranes and scaffolding are gone people will be able to see the final graceful form of the bridge.

[click to enlarge]

The 3 images below provide a close-up view of the pylons as they appeared on the 1st of August 2017.

South pylon

Central pylon

North pylon

As the final section of the main bridge deck was being finished, the wing-traveller widening the Runcorn approach viaduct was just one section away from completing its task. The viaducts on each side of the Mersey, when combined with the bridge span, take the total length of the bridge up to 2.1km

Wing-traveller working on the southern approach viaduct

One of the more contentious issues surrounding the project is the fact that the bridge will be tolled. Halton residents will be able to cross the bridge for free but will have to pay a £10 annual administration fee to do so. All other motorists will have to pay £2 (correct as of Aug 2017) each way to cross the bridge. 

The existing Silver Jubilee bridge will also be tolled in order to stop people from using it to avoid the charge. 

Unlike the Mersey Tunnels, the bridges will not have any toll booths, instead it will rely on a an automated system utilising ANPR (automatic number plate recognition). Registrations for the Merseyflow system opened on the 17th July, the Merseyflow website will allow people to register their vehicles and set up various payment methods one of which can provide a discount of up to 10% (correct as of Aug 2017).

If you do not register on the site you have until "midnight the day after" to pay the toll or you will face a penalty charge. You can pay online at merseyflow.co.uk, by phone, in person at a local walk-in centre or by using Payzone.

Regardless of discussions over whether the bridge should be tolled or not, there is no doubt that the new bridge is needed and will help reduce congestion and peak time journey times between Cheshire, Halton and Merseyside. 

( The information above is not intended as official advice, for further information, up-to-date pricing and terms please use the official website)

The image below shows part of the system on the bridge for capturing number plate information

The bridge is still on course to open in Autumn 2017 which will give me with time for 1 last update before my final blog which will provide coverage of the opening of the bridge.

Before then why not check out some of the posts I have written over the past 2 and a half years which detail many aspects of the project. 

• Spring 2017 update
• August 2016 update
• Making connections (Revisited)
• March 2016 update
• Autumn 2015 update
• Making connections
• June 2015 update

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A556 Knutsford to Bowdon Improvement

In November 2014 work began on a £200m project to improve the A556 between the M56 and M6. The project involves constructing a new 7.5km 4 lane dual carriageway between the two motorways in order to relieve congestion on this stretch of the road.

The A556 is a major trunk road which serves north Cheshire and south Manchester. The section of road also provides a connection between the M6 at junction 19 and M56 at junction 7.

The A556 between junction 19 of the M6 and junction 7 of the M56 currently carries 51,000 vehicles per day, 11% of which are HQVs. The road is currently a mixture of single 4-lane carriageway, with sections of dual 2-lane carriageway, along which are several junctions and a number of properties.

As a result of this the road is often severely congested, particularly at peak times. And according to the Highways Agency there were 98 incidents along this stretch, including 1 fatality and 13 serious injuries in the period January 2007 to December 2011.

The project will also involve reconfiguring the junction at Bowdon in order to create a grade separated overpass. The new junction will improve the link between the M56 junction 7, A556 and the turn off for Altrincham.

The original A556 route will be "de-trunked" reducing it to a single carriageway after the new section of road is complete. The existing southbound carriageway will become two lanes and the northbound carriageway will be used to provide a pathway for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians.

Facts and figures

• 51,000 vehicles per day currently use the A556
• Cost of the project is estimated at £165m to £221m 
• A new 7.5km grade separated dual carriageway will be constructed
• 130,000 tonnes of tarmac will be layed
• 300 people employed on site
• 5 new overpasses will be constructed 
• The project will take approximately 2 years to complete 
• The main contractor for the project is Costain

For more information visit the Highways Agency website 

Map of the new A566 by-pass (click to enlarge)

The images below were taken from the site at Bowdon, where work has begun to build a new junction.

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