Sunderland City Council has officially launched a £117.6m new bridge project to cross the River Wear.
Combining £35.079m of council funding with £82.521m of Government cash the new structure will be taller than Big Ben and have two lanes of traffic in both directions plus dedicated cycleways and footpaths along its full length.
The bridge will cross the River Wear between Castletown’s Wessington Way on the north side to the B1405, European Way/Pallion New Road on its south, with the completion of all works scheduled for spring 2018.
Standing tall:The new bridge will be higher than Big Ben
Cllr Paul Watson, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: ‘The bridge and its approach roads are going to open up regeneration and development sites along the River Wear and bring more investment into Sunderland.
'As a piece of infrastructure, it is one of the region's biggest civil engineering projects and an investment that is going to help create more jobs and more economic growth.
'By improving links between the A19, the city centre and the Port of Sunderland, a new bridge has always been a key part of Sunderland's on-going regeneration.
'We cannot overstate the massive economic, social and community impact this project is bringing. It's going to profit homes, businesses, the Port of Sunderland, help with links to the A19, and the development of the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP)’.
A joint venture between Farrans Construction and Victor Buyck Steel Construction, known as FBV JV, has won the construction contract to build the three span cable-stayed bridge, which will have an A-frame pylon rising to 115m (379ft).
FVB JV will be supported by their design team led by Buro Happold Engineering and Roughan & O’Donovan.
Preliminary works diverting utilities alongside the A1231 Wessington Way have already started.
