A footbridge built to reconnect Workington’s communities following the devastating 2009 floods has been highly commended in the prestigious North West Civil Engineering Community Award.
The £1.7m Navvies Bridge was formally opened in September, forming a new link for pedestrians and cyclists across the River Derwent. The 96 tonne structure comprises twin steel bowstring arches supporting a generous three metre wide footway.
The 60 metre bridge makes good use of existing bridge sandstone abutments, saving around £100k on building costs. Community input at design phase resulted in the incorporation of innovative low maintenance LED lighting into the handrail.
The bridge was constructed in a nearby field before being hoisted into position, minimising the potentially high safety and environmental risks associated with working over water.
Institution of Civil Engineers North West Regional Director Alan Butler said the project met a wide range of critical criteria in terms of safety, design and environmental factors.
“Not only does it provide a visually elegant structure reconnecting the town’s communities, it is encouraging to see sandstone masonry from the former bridge’s piers being reused to provide bank protection around the structure,” said Mr Butler.
The Cumbria County Council project went head to head with eight other large scale regional schemes at Friday’s glittering awards ceremony in Manchester’s Mercure Piccadilly Hotel. This year has seen record entries for the North West Civil Engineering Awards, with a total of 32 submissions across five main categories.
