New Mersey bridge swinging into place

A MAJOR milestone has been reached in Warrington’s Centre Park link scheme – bringing a new Mersey crossing a step closer.
The £19.89m project – which aims to ease congestion and maximise Warrington’s economic potential – is progressing on schedule and should be complete and fully open to traffic by the end of the year.
Now, a key part of the project, the construction of a new bridge crossing across the River Mersey from Chester Road, is under way.
Two bridge beams, each weighing 90 tonnes, have been lifted into position on the bridge abutments by a large crane.
The total length of the beams is 46.5 metres, spanning the width of this section of the Mersey.
With the beams now in place, the construction of the new bridge can move forward, with work expected to be completed by mid-Summer.
Warrington Borough Council leader Cllr Russ Bowden said: “The new river bridge link will bring huge benefits to Warrington, relieving traffic congestion and increasing the resilience and reliability of the highway network. I’m really pleased that construction works are progressing well.
“Centre Park Link is a key part of our work to improve traffic flows in and around our town centre, improve air quality and make Warrington a more attractive place to live work and invest. We are now seeing the pieces of this vital infrastructure investment coming together, and we can really begin to look forward to the official opening of the link later this year.”
The council’s cabinet member for transportation, highways and public realm, Cllr Hans Mundry, said: “The Centre Park Link scheme continues to progress fantastically well, and this is a hugely important milestone for the project.
“We know how important a new river crossing is to our plans to reduce congestion, improve journey times and keep the town centre moving. It’s great news that construction on the bridge is moving forward.”
The Centre Park Link scheme will support Warrington’s ongoing growth and transform journeys around one the borough’s most busy road networks.
Christine Gaskell, chairman of Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership said: “As a key economic centre, the LEPs investment into Warrington helps create the right conditions in which businesses can thrive whilst supporting residents and employees through reduced journey times.   This is one of several investments including Warrington West Station and the M62 Birchwood Junction improvements.”
The new bridge crossing across the River Mersey from Chester Road, just north of Gainsborough Road, will join onto an extended Slutchers Lane, leading from Wilson Patten Street. A new signal controlled junction is to be constructed at each end of the new link on Chester Road and Wilson Patten Street.
For more information about Centre Park Link, visit warrington.gov.uk/centreparklink