A BRAND new walking and cycling bridge is due to be lifted into place next weekend over a section of Worcester’s Southern Link Road.
The bridge, which will replace the current pedestrian crossing, will sit over Hams Way and once complete, will allow improved crossing of the busy road for pedestrians and cyclists.
It will be one of four crossings of the Southern Link Road once the scheme to dual from the M5 to Powick roundabout is complete.
These crossings include Crookbarrow Way footbridge, which has been extremely well used since opening earlier this year, Broomhall Way footbridge which is currently under construction, and a new underpass near the Ketch roundabout.
The Hams Way footbridge,near the Powick roundabout, forms part of National Cycle Network Route 46.
Coun Ken Pollock, cabinet member for Economy and Infrastructure for Worcestershire County Council, said: “It’s good to see yet another piece of long-term infrastructure to support walking and cycling being moved into place next weekend.
“It’s also great to see the Southern Link Road phase 4 works, of which this is a part, move forward and bring us closer to dualling from the M5 to Powick roundabout and with it, much improved and more reliable journey times.”
To support the bridge moving into place, Hams Way will be closed in both directions on Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13 from approximately 7.30am until around 5.30pm.
A diversion will be signed via Malvern Road/Bransford Road and the work will also require three-way signals on the other three approaches to Powick Roundabout for the phase of the operation where the bridge is manoeuvred into place.
The process of manoeuvring the bridge will be complex and will take a considerable time, so the council is not recommending that people visit the site, as there will be very little to see and nowhere for onlookers to gather.
Once the bridge is installed, further work is needed before the bridge becomes operational.
Visit www.worcestershire.gov.uk/slr for more.
