Cold Hesledon Footbridge (A19), County Durham

Supporting crucial upgrade works on the A19 in County Durham, Taziker on behalf of BAM Nuttall completed the design, fabrication and installation of a 70m span footbridge over the A19 at Cold Hesledon junction. 

The A19/A182 junction improvement scheme will see additional capacity for traffic flow in the area, along with the widening of the junction, which will in turn facilitate commercial development at a local business park.

The challenge

Measuring 70m in length, the design works for the footbridge were the biggest challenge associated with the project. It was important to keep the design simple, but also at a reasonable weight and the dimensions under what would be required for a Special Movement Order, with tight timescales for the footbridge to be delivered and installed on site.

The solution

Working closely with the client’s design representative and utilising the experience of Taziker’s fabrication shop in reducing member sizes and welds, a design which met both the weight and dimension requirements was agreed.

The footbridge was fabricated in S355 structural steel at Taziker’s specialist facility in Blackburn over a 4-month period and a full trial erection took place in the workshop. Handrails were welded onto the bridge during the trial erection, before the structure was transported in sections to the specialist painters for the application of a Highways Series 5000 paint system. The footbridge was successfully kept under the dimensions required for a Specialist Movement Order when transporting, saving the need for a 12-week notice period

Under a weekend closure of the A19, the footbridge was delivered in five sections to site and placed onto temporary works. All sections were then bolted together and rigged at both ends of the footbridge on the roundabout and tandem lifted with two cranes onto the new pre-cast abutments. The installation of the footbridge was completed and handed back to the client ahead of schedule.

The result

The footbridge was successfully installed with a coatings system that ensures a 25-year life span and will support better traffic flow, all whilst allowing safe pedestrian and cycle access in the local area.