Medway Viaducts

The Medway Viaducts are a set of three viaducts, two for the M2 and one for High Speed 1 (formerly the Channel Tunnel Rail Link).

The first span open in 1963 along with the rest of the M2. It was D2M and had walkways that are part of the North Downs Way. This bridge dominates the skyline in this area. It was the only bridge here for many years until 1998 when the first sod was cut for HS1. To coincide with the rail works, it was decided that the M2 would be upgraded here. as traffic has increased in the years since its opening. It took five years to build the two spans, the rail span being the first built in 2003. In early 2004, the second span was used for a few months while the original bridge was converted from D2M to S4 for coastbound traffic. When that was done, the new span was put into its intended use as the Londonbound carriageway.

Links

Roads.org.uk

• Medway Bridge Opening Booklet
• Photo Gallery of the building of the Second & Thrid Viaducts

Kent Rail

• Page on Rail bridge

You Tube

• A trip over the Medway Bridge
• A Eurostar going over the rail Medway Bridge