Photo courtesy of Merseylink CJV

9.2 kilometres of Bridge & Road Construction
7 New and Upgraded junctions
Up to 1000 people working on site at peak times
Over 13000 tonnes of BRC reinforcement
127415 cubic metres of concrete
12 New Bridges across Halton including a unique cable stayed design for the Mersey Gateway Bridge spanning 1000metres over River Mersey

The Mersey Gateway Project is a major transport scheme encompassing the building of a new six-lane toll bridge over the River Mersey between the towns of Runcorn and Widnes. The vision was for a new Mersey Gateway Bridge to be a landmark structure that will be recognisable throughout the North West and beyond. 

The final design for the bridge was selected from a wide range of options and was chosen to bring the maximum benefits for users and local people and with a minimal impact on the estuary and its surrounding environment.

Photo courtesy of Merseylink CJV

The iconic bridge structure is a unique design and is based on a cable-stayed structure.  Including the approach viaducts on each side, the bridge structure is 2,130 metres long with a river span of 1,000 metres.  The main bridge deck is made from reinforced concrete and the spans are supported by steel cable stays attached to three towers. This is unusual as bridges of this nature typically have just two pylons but in this case because of the location of the flightpath to Liverpool John Lennon Airport the overall height had to be restricted making it necessary to add a third pylon to provide the necessary support.  The 80m high central tower is shorter than the two outer towers, the 110m high north tower and the 125m high south tower.

The overall project scheme is about much more than just the centrepiece bridge, with the whole route covering just over nine kilometres of road improvements and the installation of new junctions linking with routes to Merseyside and North Cheshire and the wider national motorway network.  

Not only will the area benefit from relieving the heavily congested routes over and around the ageing Silver Jubilee Bridge, but the project and improved regional transport links are seen as an important kick start to a major 20 year regeneration programme of new and inward investment to the area of Halton.

The Mersey Gateway Project is a ‘green’ project where the environmental issues and welfare have been a key focus since the project was first developed.

The Mersey Gateway Environmental Trust (MGET) is an independent Charitable Trust set up in 2010 and is unique for a major construction project.  It seeks to champion wildlife conservation, protection and improvement of the environment around the bridge and across a 1600 hectare area of the Upper Mersey Estuary running all the way from the Mersey Gateway Bridge up river as far as Warrington.  The Trust aims to create a new 28.5 hectare nature reserve around the bridge itself, and hopes to be seen as a visionary example of environmental management for future major construction projects.  

BRC places a large emphasis on our own environmental and sustainability principles and therefore it is proud to be associated with such a prestigious and ethically green focused project.

Following three and a half years of building works this multi-million pound project completed and opened on 14 October 2017 ahead of time and under budget.