Roads Minister Andrew Jones has opened a new £32m road bridge in Essex, involving a viaduct nearly 1km long built with UK-sourced steel.
Mr Jones said the new bridge would help cut journey times for ‘hard working people in Chelmsford’ and deliver economic growth.
Catherine Brookes and Andrew Jones at the opening
The new three-lane A138 Chelmer Viaduct near Chelmsford replaces the old three-lane 1930s bridge, which is now due to be demolished.
The Department for Transport (Dft) said the project, which started in March 2015, has been completed on time and on budget.
It has involved the construction of a viaduct 900 metres long, building three lanes of carriageway, a shared footway and cycleway, and a footpath.
The DfT said around 1,800 tonnes of steel, worth over £3.6m and ‘all of which was sourced in the UK’, was used to build the viaduct.
Catherine Brookes, Highways England chief highway engineer, said: ‘Building a new viaduct and demolishing the old one demonstrates our commitment to improving the road network and helping to stimulate growth.
‘The A138 Chelmer Road is a vital transport link and this newly delivered project will reduce congestion and make the route safer.’
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