Bridge progress Runcorn and Widnes 24th Jan 2016

[Deleted]

Decided to visit the bridge site at both sides of the river with the weather being quiet mild . First was the Runcorn side my last visit being on Christmas Day but today there was a Security Guard were I parked last time but he seemed quiet friendly and did not mind me being there in fact he seemed rather concerned that I didn't get injured by any vehicles. On leaving I thanked him very much. Session finished at Runcorn then over to Spike, Trinity has not moved since I last saw it but the towers seem to have increased in height . Quiet a pleasant walk round on Spike with plenty of people viewing the new bridge progress. On return home managed to get a photo from the Site Entrance of the supports which I hadn't seen before. Below are photo's from the visit.

RUNCORN SITE OVER BRIDGEWATER CANAL GOING DOWN TO THE RIVER.

VIEWS FROM SPIKE

NORTH TOWER

CENTRAL TOWER

SOUTH TOWER

TRINITY

SITE ENTRANCE WIDNES WAETLOO ROAD

SPIKE ISLAND STILL LOW WATER

Thanks for looking

[mb]

Looking at your Photo 5 and the height of the bridge bits over the MSC( at least I think that's what we are looking at ) does this preclude any big vessels ever getting past Runcorn up to Barton and Manchester?

[markmai]

mb, I think that's the bridgewater canal

[viscount]

The new bridge and associated link roads actually cross 3 canals, as well as the River. On the Widnes side the St.Helens Canal, just inland of the locks up from the River, and at the point the new bridge crosses, it is separated from the river by Spike Island. On the Runcorn side the bridge first crosses Wigg Island, then the Manchester Ship Canal (MSC) at which point it has risen to its highest elevation asl then inland as viaduct lifted approach roads roughly along the route of the Eastern Expressway - it is this section that crosses the Bridgewater Canal. Ultimately the approach roads on the Runcorn side end at the M56 junction. The bed of the bridge will climb as it crosses the river, not level as are most bridges. The 3 suspension towers will be different heights, the lowest in the middle, the highest at the Runcorn side.

Have a look at: www.merseygateway.co.uk/ There are lots of links from this homepage, two I've found to help this answer are:

Good map of the new roads and bridge route: www.merseygateway.co.uk/about-the-mersey-gateway-project/a-new-and-improved-route-over-the-mersey/ Shows two of the canals, the third, the Bridgewater Canal runs east-west under the first new junction south of the crossing

Nice artists impression of the bridge crossing: www.merseygateway.co.uk/about-the-mersey-gateway-project/the-new-mersey-gateway-bridge/
This is from the North, Widnes side, so the height gained to clear the MSC shipping is not obvious.

[mb]

Oh,OK,question still remains,will big ships be able to go up the MSC I wonder?
The other thing which worries me is the question of the,inquitous, tolls to be levied and how they will be worked.I can't see them putting booths on either bridge so wonder if they will go for the Dartford bridge/tunnel method of number plate recognition and then ,somehow ,you get a bill.Or, I have been informed, that you can buy a ticket from local shops( at Dartford) or you can ring up a number and pay by credit card.Now if " they" think I am going to give my credit card number over the phone to some Nigerian or other dodgy they can get stuffed.Whichever way you look at it it's still a tax on getting into Liverpool, a la Mersey Tunnels.

[Deleted]

Jan 25, 2016 18:43:35 GMT 1 mb said:

Oh,OK,question still remains,will big ships be able to go up the MSC I wonder?
The other thing which worries me is the question of the,inquitous, tolls to be levied and how they will be worked.I can't see them putting booths on either bridge so wonder if they will go for the Dartford bridge/tunnel method of number plate recognition and then ,somehow ,you get a bill.Or, I have been informed, that you can buy a ticket from local shops( at Dartford) or you can ring up a number and pay by credit card.Now if " they" think I am going to give my credit card number over the phone to some Nigerian or other dodgy they can get stuffed.Whichever way you look at it it's still a tax on getting into Liverpool, a la Mersey Tunnels.

Regarding the above question about ships going up the canal to Manchester . The South Tower (Runcorn side ) road way when assembled will be approx 90 to 100 metre's above the canal this gives ample room for the ships. The other question about toll payments has yet to be clarified, I myself have heard so many different tales regarding this issue that all we can do is wait and see what happens.  Up to yet it has been said "That local residents will have 300 trips before being charged " Don't ask me how this will be checked as I have no idea" Any further info regarding the charges and how they will be paid I should think will be posted in the Weekly News.    

[jake3]

I hear that as of 1/3/16 the flyover that goes over the roundabout at the Widnes end of the ford road is to be closed indefinitely. This will cause absolute mayhem if correct, also another one of the roads that leads to the old bridge (on the Widnes side) is also to close. Looks like I will need to add at least another two hours to my 30 minute commute to Chester. I am really starting to get p****d off with this bridge, it better be worth all this aggro.

[Beemer]

Have a look at this link from the Mersey Gateway site that explains all the road closures, The Ditton fly-over closes as Jake says on 01-03-2016 and Watkinson Way closes in July 2016.

www.merseygateway.co.uk/2016/01/busy-commuter-route-in-widnes-to-be-closed-and-demolished-in-spring-2016-as-mersey-gateway-enters-critical-new-phase/

[mb]

I read the last link very carefully.Everybody else interested should also because the last 2 paras are interesting in that the penultimate talks about uninterrupted travel between Speke Road and the new bridge on a 2 lane dual carriageway using a free flow tolling system( whatever that is-ANPR I suspect) One way or 2 way? Because the final para indicates that the existing bridge will be re-modelled as a " local bridge" being only 1 lane in each direction ,but no mention of tolls.Now this is news.Will be interesting to see what actually develops.

Meanwhile, if at all possible with all the impending further chaos,it would be wise to give the whole area a wide berth.

[bulldog]

For years we have put up with the existing bridge an insufficient capacity and all complained , we simply must put up with the disruption for the ultimate end result. Reminds me of a quote from that famous philosopher Spock ( the Star Trek one) "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few". Or something like that.

Wise man Spock

LLOP

[Beemer]

Jan 31, 2016 19:50:38 GMT 1 bulldog said:

For years we have put up with the existing bridge an insufficient capacity and all complained , we simply must put up with the disruption for the ultimate end result. Reminds me of a quote from that famous philosopher Spock ( the Star Trek one) "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few". Or something like that.

Wise man Spock

LLOP

Wasn't it LLAP. Live long and prosper.

[bulldog]

Beemer , yes you are totally correct . I meant to use A but for some reason put O. Blame ageing......