Balfour given extra time to complete Third Don Crossing

Aberdeen City Council has agreed an eight-week time extension with contractors Balfour Beatty for the completion of the new £22.3 million Third Don Crossing.

The extension has been agreed due to problems with weather, re-routing underground utilities and unforeseen circumstances.

Aberdeen City Council communities, housing and infrastructure convener, councillor Neil Cooney said: "This is Aberdeen's largest major new bridge infrastructure since the construction of the Queen Elizabeth Bridge 30 years ago and projects of this size are technically complex.

“While we recognise how frustrating these delays are for people, it must be remembered this is a major project which includes two bridges, creating a new road, re-alignment of existing roads, creating cycle paths, and pavements.

"The Third Don Crossing project will help transform getting around the city along with other major projects which Aberdeen City Council is investing in, including the AWPR, the A96 Park and Choose and Airport Link Road, and the Berryden Corridor.

"Once the bridge is open, people on both sides of the River Don will see a tremendous difference getting around the city."

George Hood, Balfour Beatty managing director, added: ""We continue to support Aberdeen City Council in order to ensure all works are completed as quickly as possible.

"Once complete, the Third Don Crossing will play a significant role in improving local transportation routes. All other works continue to progress at a good rate."

The project requires the construction of two major bridges, with the first being a 26m skew span reinforced concrete bridge over the Mill Lade at Grandholm Village and the second a 90m span steel box girder bridge over the River Don.

The Third Don Crossing will see the construction of a new single carriageway link road between the Parkway/Whitestripes Road junction and the Tillydrone Avenue/St Machar Drive junctions, including the construction of the new bridges.

Work on the project – which includes the bridge structure and 1.5 miles of connecting roads on both sides of the River Don – started in August 2014.