Blackburn bridge opening heralds regeneration

The £8M Wainwright Bridge in Blackburn recently opened and is set to be a fundamental part of Blackburn-with-Darwen Borough Council’s plans for local regeneration.

The bridge is part of the first phase of the proposed Blackburn Orbital Route and provides links to nearby brownfield sites earmarked for redevelopment.

Capita Symonds provided structure design, project management, civil engineering and landscape services on the project, which consists of a single span 78m steel bowstring arch bridge with a steel/concrete composite deck carrying a dual carriageway.

Councillor Alan Cottam, Executive   Member for Regeneration, said: “The Wainwright Bridge is a modern full width bridge for all – cyclists, buses and cars. It does not have a height restrictions like Darwen Street bridge and will bring traffic onto the new link road, which also has access to all the car parks. It will also open up a large area of the town centre for commercial development and regeneration.”