After more than three and a half years of construction, the Mersey Gateway Bridge, has opened to traffic on time. FCC Construcción forms part of Merseylink Civil Contractors Joint Venture (MCCJV).

The toll bridge is part of a new 9.2 kilometre road network undertaken by Halton Borough Council, connecting the towns of Runcorn and Widnes, near Liverpool, with the six-lane cable-stayed structure as its centrepiece. The purpose of the works, which have been recognised by KPMG as one of the ‘Top 100 infrastructure projects around the globe’, is to alleviate congestion on the Silver Jubilee Bridge as well as connecting the area to the main motorway network in the north west of England.

The bridge itself has a total length of 2,248m with a central section of approximately 1km and two viaducts. It has four spans supported from three pylons in the Mersey estuary. The iconic structure has a unique design whereby the 80m high central pylon is shorter than the two outer pylons, which are 110m (north pylon) and 125m (south pylon). 810 miles of cables connect these pylons to the bridge deck. The new road network includes a total of 12 new bridges and seven new or upgraded junctions, with 127,415m3 of concrete used across the works. Limiting environmental impact of the project was also a major concern throughout its construction with 1,423,225 tonnes of previously contaminated materials recovered and re-used.

To deliver a project of such importance a construction joint venture (Merseylink CCJV) was assembled with an extensive track record for delivery across the globe. It was awarded the contract by Halton Borough Council. Merseylink CCJV includes: FCC Construcción (Spain), Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Limited (UK) and Samsung C&T Corporation (South Korea). Supporting this consortium, FCC has maximised synergies within its parent company, FCC Group. Work on the project also involved FCC Engineering Technical Services (Structural and Geotechnical), FCC Plant Department (Engineering and resources), FCC Group specialist companies (BBR), as well as FCC Procurement & RRHH departments.

Juan Manuel Dochao, Construction Director, Merseylink CCJV, said: “The project is more than just a bridge – the regional economic strategy identifies Mersey Gateway as a transformational project. It is the catalyst that will connect communities and lead regeneration and investment throughout Halton and the North West. The iconic design of the bridge will put the local area, Liverpool and the North West region firmly on the map and will encourage attention from all over the world.”

After the success of the Enniskillen Hospital in Northern Ireland, the completion of the Mersey Gateway Bridge leaves FCC well placed to bid for further work in the market. As Pablo Colio, CEO of FCC Group said, “We hope to use the knowledge we have gained of the market and this experience to win new opportunities in the UK and benefit its citizens in the future. The key to our success has been the collaboration with project partners, clients, and the local community. We have also been able to utilise synergies from across FCC Group to benefit the project. This is the approach we have taken throughout our 117 year history as a company.”

Throughout the process of construction, operation and maintenance of the new bridge, around 4,600 people have been employed both directly and indirectly. The project will benefit both the Liverpool region, with a population of more than 1.6 million inhabitants, as well as the northwest area of England.

FCC Construcción has released a video highlighting the construction works, the environmental considerations and the engagement with the local community around the project. The video can be viewed on FCC Construcción’s YouTube channel. To find out more about the Mersey Gateway Project, please visit: www.merseygateway.co.uk