'Super bridge' craned into place over A5 at Oswestry ahead of business park construction
A 68-tonne "super bridge" has been lowered into place over the A5 near Oswestry.
The 55-metre-long bridge for cyclists and pedestrians passing over the trunk road was installed overnight on Monday at Mile End.
The road was closed overnight from the Whittington Road Roundabout to the Mile End Roundabout and opened ahead of time on Tuesday morning after the bridge was in place.
Fabricated and installed by Beaver Bridges, it was lifted into place by a 1,000-tonne crane - one of the largest in the country.
The bridge has been designed to provide access to the Oswestry Innovation Park, which is still under development. It's hoped the site will be ready to welcome its first businesses in early 2025.
Last week, Shropshire Council called the bridge's installation a "major step forward for the park".
A council spokesperson added: “Although the bridge won’t be in use straight away, we will be working hard to ensure that people will soon be able to use it to access the park and make the most of the countryside walks in the area.
"The pedestrian and cycle connectivity will extend from the bridge into the Shrewsbury Road, which will also improve accessibility from the wider area."
Now the bridge has been installed, council contractors will continue with a range of additional works, including the installation of around 200 metres of ramps, drainage and landscaping. Works are expected to be completed by the spring of next year.
Richard Hinckley, business director of Beaver Bridges said: “We are delighted to have supported our client Shropshire Council with the full turnkey, foundation construction, manufacture, delivery and installation of this super bridge which will leave a legacy on the Mile End development for many years to come.
"Our team did an excellent job in safely installing this bridge and managed to open the A5 ahead of time, thus causing minimal disruption to the public."
