Social Media and the Forth Road Bridge, Edinburgh

Overview

The closure of the road bridge caused significant disruption to commuters and businesses with a 33 mile diversion for over 70,000 vehicles each day. The cost to the economy was estimated at £1m a day with engineers under intense scrutiny and pressure to deliver.

Engineers worked around the clock to design, fabricate and install a repair to the fractured truss end link. The expertise and dedication shown enabled the bridge to reopen to traffic earlier than planned.

Social media was used to keep an anxious public and politicians informed. Engineers became the heroes of the hour as images of them suspended 54m above the water in challenging winter conditions went viral, showcasing civil engineering on a global stage.