B&K lifts Rotherham footbridge into place

The £47m Forge Island development, part of Rotherham Council’s regeneration of the town centre, is being delivered by Morgan Sindall’s planning business Muse and main contractor Bowmer & Kirkland.

The 46-metre-long bridge, weighing 86 tonnes, was manufactured and installed by SH Structures, a steel fabricator based in Sherburn-in-Elmet. It was delivered  to site by heavy haulage specialist Collett & Sons two months ago.

Over a period of two days, a telescopic-boom mobile crane was erected and rigged by Baldwins Crane Hire. The bridge lift itself took just one hour.

The bridge design FaulknerBrowne Architects is said to be inspired by the Bailey Bridge, the portable, steel-truss bridge, designed and developed by Rotherham-born civil engineer Donald Bailey – thus celebrating the town’s industrial heritage.

The diamond truss steel design that is associated with Bailey Bridges is clad with red/brown perforated steel panelling to coordinate with the colour of the planned Forge Island buildings.

Muse project director Andrew Fairest said: “This is an important milestone for the whole Forge Island development, as we link this new waterfront destination to the Rotherham community, making sure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy what Forge Island has to offer.

“Rotherham’s engineering heritage was a wonderful starting point for the Muse team, offering a rich seam of inspiration and shaping our thinking around Forge Island. The bridge is a key part of this exciting new chapter in Rotherham’s story, linking the past with the present and future.”

Over the next few weeks, a podium is being built on site, which will elevate the scheme out of the floodplain of the River Don. Work will then begin on construction of the buildings and new landscaped public spaces, including a stepped amphitheatre beside Rotherham Lock.

Forge Island is expected to open in 2024.

Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk