National Highways has published video showing the delivery and assembly ahead of installation of beams weighing 268 tonnes for the replacement A533 Expressway Bridge.
The beams, which are 12.5 metres wide, took 12 weeks to build – from cutting the plate from the rolling mill, fabrication, grit blasting and trial fitting – before being transported to the project site.
The A533 Expressway Bridge is a concrete bridge located between junctions 11 and 12 of the M56. It carries the Chester Road combined with the A533 over the motorway, providing access across the M56 to Runcorn from Preston Brook and Northwich.
National Highways and AmeySRM, are replacing the existing structure with a new 67 metre concrete bridge, consisting of a single two-lane carriageway and a combined footpath and cycleway.
National Highways project manager Sam Whitfield said: ‘The delivery of the bridge beams marks a key milestone for the A533 Bridge Replacement project.
‘They are an integral part of this project, and will provide our customers with a replacement structure which is designed to last for more than 120 years.
‘Construction of the new bridge will continue adjacent to the M56, minimising disruption to drivers and will be open for traffic next summer.’
The existing bridge runs close to a railway bridge carrying the West Coast main line
Chris Buckley, AmeySRM project manager, said: 'A substantial part of the project will be built off site to minimise disruption and we’ll keep the existing bridge open while we construct the new bridge.’
National Highways said that replacing the bridge will maintain safety in the long term.
The new bridge is expected to be open to traffic in summer 2023, when the existing bridge will be demolished.
