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Silver Jubilee Bridge

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Silver Jubilee Bridge
Location Map ( geo)
Silver Jubilee Bridge at night.jpg
Cameraicon.png View gallery (7)
From:  Runcorn
To:  Widnes
County
Lancashire • Cheshire
Highway Authority
National Highways
Opening Date
1961
Additional Information
List No:  1130421  (Grade II)
Bridge Type:  Truss Bridge
Length:  482m (1581 ft 4 in)
Height:  87m (285 ft 5 in)
Width:  16m (52 ft 6 in)
Max Span:  330m (1082 ft 8 in)
Clearance:  24m (78 ft 9 in)
On road(s)
A557

The Silver Jubilee Bridge, (commonly known as the Runcorn Bridge, originally the Runcorn-Widnes Bridge) is the largest steel arch bridge in the UK, being considerably larger than the better-known Tyne Bridge at Newcastle.

1972 One Inch map showing the bridge with southern terminal roundabout, prior to the construction of the Weston Point Expressway to the south

It was opened in 1961, replacing the earlier Transporter Bridge just to the east. It was originally WS2, but was widened to S4 in 1977, when it gained the name of the Silver Jubilee Bridge. At this time the junction arrangements at the Runcorn end were remodelled into a trumpet-loop interchange to link up to the new Weston Point Expressway and Bridgewater Expressway.

It carries the A557 (formerly A533) across both the Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal. The main span is 1,082 feet (330 m) long and until the tolls were removed from the Erskine Bridge across the Clyde in 2006 it was the longest untolled road bridge in the UK.

In 2015 work began on the construction of the Mersey Gateway Bridge, a larger cable stayed structure that bypassed the existing bridge. The completion of the Mersey Gateway Bridge in 2017 enabled the immediate closure of the Silver Jubilee Bridge for refurbishment. It also saw tolls imposed on both bridges, albeit with heavily discounted fares for residents of the Halton borough.

1953 1:25k map showing the previous transporter bridge


The refurbishment work comprised:[1]

  • Refurbishment of the entire steel arch, including strengthening numerous bracing members that had extensive corrosion.
  • The replacement of a cable hanger that had shown evidence of potential early stage failure. The first time this has ever been undertaken.
  • The repainting of the entire arch, removing the old paint system, undertaking steel repairs and applying a new multi-coat system on to the bare steel.
  • The entire concrete road deck has been repaired, re-waterproofed and resurfaced.
  • Re-configuration of the deck into a single vehicle lane in either direction, together with dedicated cycle lane. This allows the existing footbridge to be solely for pedestrian use.
  • Both bridge approach structures (Widnes and Runcorn) have been refurbished and re-configured with single lane traffic and new, widened cycleway/footway verges.
  • Runcorn Approach Viaduct deck has been repaired, re-waterproofing and resurfaced and installed with new carriageway joints.
  • Widnes Approach Viaduct has been resurfaced with new carriageway joints.
  • The existing Runcorn Approach Viaduct West (connecting into the Trumpet Loop) has been demolished. See Silver Jubilee South Junction for further details.
  • Replacement of parapets

The bridge re-opened on 26th February 2021.

References




Silver Jubilee Bridge
Junctions
Related Pictures
View gallery (7)
Silver Jubilee Bridge at night.jpgRuncorn Bridge - Geograph - 1693236.jpgSilver Jubilee Bridge - Coppermine - 17806.jpgA533 over the Runcorn Gap - Coppermine - 17020.jpgSilver Jubilee South Interchange 1970 plan.png
Other nearby roads
Runcorn
A56 • A533 • A557 • A558 • A5126 • A5133 • B5154 • B5155 • B5310 (Cheshire) • B5438 • E22 • M56 • T58 (Britain)
Widnes
Crossings of the River Mersey and tributaries
River EtherowWoodhead Reservoir Bridge • Woolley Bridge • Compstall Bridge
River GoytLower Macclesfield Rd Bridge • Whaley Bridge • Chapel Bypass Bridge • Bridgemont • Albion Road Bridge • Union Road Bridge • Woodend Bridge • Marple Bridge • Otterspool Bridge • New Bridge (Stockport) • Carrington Bridge (Stockport) • St Marys Way Bridge • Park Bridge
River TameDowry Reservoir Outlet • Denshaw Bridge • Delph Bridge • New Delph Bridge • Tame Water Bridge • Frenches Bridge • Wellihole Bridge • Roaches Bridge • Stalybridge  • Caroline St Bridge • Clarence Bridge • Dukinfield Bridge (Whitelands)  • Alma Bridge • Shepley Bridge • M67 Denton Bridge • Broomstair Bridge • Beight Bridge • M60 - Reddish Vale Bridge • Tiviot Way Bridge • M60 - Stockport Bridge
River MerseyKnightsbridge • Mersey Square Bridge • King Street West Bridge • Hollywood Way Bridge • Brinksway Bridge • M60- Cheadle Heath Bridge • Cheadle Bridge • Kingsway Bridge (Cheadle) • M60 - Northenden Bridge (2) • M60 - Northenden Bridge • Northenden Bridge • River Mersey Bridge • M60 Bridge SE of Junction 7 • Crossford Bridge (Sale) • A6144 Bridge • Flixton Bridge • Warburton Bridge • Thelwall Viaduct • Kingsway Bridge • Warrington Bridge • Mersey Gateway Bridge • Silver Jubilee Bridge • Queensway Tunnel • Kingsway Tunnel


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