New road bridge craned into place as East West Link steams toward October completion

Concrete beams weighing a total of 570 tonnes were lifted into place to create a new Lincoln road bridge on Wednesday, January 13.

The phase marked another milestone closer to the completion of the £22 million East West Link scheme, which began in November 2014.

Cars are expected to be able to use the new road by around September 2016, while further work will continue to pedestrianise the corner of Tentercroft Street down to the Lincoln High Street level crossing.

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The beams were transported to the site from Ireland and installed throughout the day.

The new road bridge over Sincil Dyke replaces a former structure over 100 years old, linking the new section of road in the former coal yard to Tentercroft Street.

It will have three road lanes, a footpath and a cycle lane as well carrying ducting for telephone cabling, electricity and gas.

The scheme, as part of overriding plans to regenerate Lincoln city centre will allow motorists to bypass the busy High Street level crossing.

Executive Member for Highways and Transportation at Lincolnshire County Council, Councillor Richard Davies said:

“We won’t be at the behest of Network Rail and the level crossing of doom.

“Anyone who has spent time on the High Street will feel like it’s closed for virtually 58 minutes of the hour.

“Now, if people want to get from one end of the city to the other they will be able to go round.”

The new bridge, part of the East West Link road, is beginning to take shape. Photo: Steve Smiles for The Lincolnite

Highways schemes “secure”

Against a background of recent significant cuts in government funding, Councillor Richard Davies was confident that other promised highways schemes in Lincoln and Lincolnshire would still go ahead.

“We were disappointed we didn’t hear a decision on the Lincoln Eastern Bypass before Christmas as we were told we would. All schemes are up for discussion, I think the bypass is very secure, we just need the orders.

“Schemes aren’t necessarily going to be severely affected by the cuts but where we are going to see a difference is the day-to-day stuff like street lighting, gritting and potholes.”