A major civil engineering operation has been completed in Great Yarmouth, with the bridge leaves successfully installed at Herring Bridge.
Herring Bridge is being delivered by BAM Farrans Joint Venture for Norfolk County Council and it will be open to the public during the summer of 2023.
Two leaves of 45m by 24m were installed during a 72 hour river possession which started at 08:00 21st March.
Each leaf weighed 770 tonnes and a further 500 tonnes of heavy weight concrete per leaf to create the counter weight. When both leaves are up there will be 50m of navigable channel between the two bascule chambers.
The east leaf was installed during the first 24 hours into the closed position. The west leaf was installed during the next period, with both of the leaves raised to the open position on Thursday.
The construction stage started in January 2021 with the accommodation, enabling and demolition works. This was followed by the in river marine works and construction of the approach embankments which support two underpass and the bascule bridge (opening bridge). Once complete the local road network will be upgraded with a five-arm roundabout and dual carriageway.
The bridge will link the A47 at Harfreyâs roundabout to the port and the enterprise zone on the other side of the river. It will ease traffic congestion on the townâs roads, shortening journey times and improving journey reliability, as well as supporting wider plans and work to maximise investment, regeneration and economic growth opportunities in the town and wider borough.
