Skip to main content

Mersey Gateway Bridge project progress

Work is well in hand on the Mersey Gateway Bridge project in the UK. The bridge construction work has now reached a major milestone. The south pylon of the Mersey Gateway has been completed, marking the project’s highest point in the River Mersey estuary. The south pylon stands 125m high, with the north pylon due to be completed in the next few days. The smaller central pylon, which is due to be finished in November, will be 80m high. A specialist automatic climbing system is being used to construct the
October 6, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The Mersey Gateway Bridge project in the UK has reached a major milestone in its construction
Work is well in hand on the 6126 Mersey Gateway Bridge project in the UK. The bridge construction work has now reached a major milestone. The south pylon of the Mersey Gateway has been completed, marking the project’s highest point in the River Mersey estuary. The south pylon stands 125m high, with the north pylon due to be completed in the next few days. The smaller central pylon, which is due to be finished in November, will be 80m high.

A specialist automatic climbing system is being used to construct the bridge pylons. This equipment builds one vertical 5m section at a time. It then repeatedly climbs upwards to create the next section until the structure is complete. Construction teams have completed 30 sections for the south pylon and 27 for the north pylon. In all, 21 sections will be built for the central pylon. A total of 2,230m3 of concrete was poured for the south pylon, and 1,890m3 for the north pylon.

Gareth Stuart, project director at Merseylink, said, “Hitting the highest point on the project is a significant milestone and it’s a testament to the tenacity and expertise of our construction crews who have worked extremely hard, often in challenging conditions, to get the job done. We’ll be holding a special site celebration to thank all of the teams involved.”

The next phase of work involves installing steel stay cables to connect the three bridge pylons to the main bridge deck. This will begin in the next couple of weeks. Halton’s six-lane river crossing is on schedule to open in autumn 2017.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • The power of water
    July 18, 2012
    The popularity of hydrodemolition is growing worldwide and was the specified solution for work on two vital Swedish links The hydrodemolition technique, which uses high pressure water jets to remove damaged concrete from various structures, is playing a crucial role in the major restoration of the vital Central Bridge and Söderled Tunnel in the centre of Sweden's capital Stockholm. The 1,550m dual two-lane rectangular box Söderled Tunnel and connecting dual two and three-lane Central Bridge are a vital 2.6k
  • Manitowoc crane helps construct new Illinois bridge
    December 15, 2017
    A barge-mounted crane from Manitowoc is playing a key role in a major Illinois bridge replacement project. The machine is being used by Kraemer North America, which is replacing an 84-year-old truss bridge near Savanna, Illinois. The firm is employing a barge-mounted MLC300 equipped with the sophisticated variable position counterweight (VPC) technology, which is said to allow the MLC300 to adjust its counterweight during each lift and keep the barge stable while lifting. When Manitowoc introduced its VPC
  • AEC’s Model 6048 Bridge Deck Finisher in demand in Canada
    June 24, 2013
    Allen Engineering Corporation (AEC) recently delivered a Model 6048 Bridge Deck Finisher to PCR Contractors to be used on the 11km-long Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway project in Canada. The US$1.4 billion highway infrastructure project is under construction in the Ontario municipalities of Windsor, LaSalle and Tecumseh. The Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway will carry car and truck traffic from Hwy 401 in Canada to a new crossing across the Detroit River to I-75 in Michigan. The works will improve traffic flow at Cana
  • Spencer wins Menai Suspension Bridge refurb
    September 16, 2022
    The UK contract, worth nearly €1.8 million, is to repaint the entire main span underdeck of the 417m-long bridge, the second oldest operational vehicular suspension bridge in the world.