The construction of a 170-metre water channel has brought closer completion of the first opening road bridge on the River Clyde, which will link Renfrew with Clydebank and Yoker..
More than 60 people worked on the new open-air culvert, which replaces an old outfall moved to make way for the new bridge and is described as “environmentally friendly”.
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The majority of the 170-metre channel is cut out of the ground and took eight months to complete, with civil engineering specialist Graham noting it provides a more natural water course for the flow from the Kilpatrick Hills into the Clyde.
It has been built by Graham as part of the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside project.
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Renfrewshire Council is leading delivery of this Glasgow City Region City Deal funded project, aimed at improving transport connections at the waterfront with up to 1,400 jobs and an estimated £230 million in investment anticipated to follow.
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Improvements include the 184-metre, cable-stayed, twin-leaf bridge, linking Renfrew with Yoker and Clydebank, for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists and opening for passing ships.
The project includes a new road from the bridge into the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) and enhanced provision for pedestrians and cyclists along the full route.
Jim Armour, contracts manager at Graham, said: “Design and construction of the new culvert was a fantastic team effort, and we worked closely with ecologists to ensure the completed channel supports sustainability and local wildlife.
“Moving the culvert allows us to prepare the area where the bridge will go on the north side of the river and, over the coming months, we are continuing to build the cofferdams which gives us a dry working area to construct the bridge piers.”
Renfrewshire Council leader Iain Nicolson said: “It’s great to see this project achieve an important construction milestone. The new transport connections will improve the look and feel along the waterfront, connecting communities to their work, health, education and leisure facilities and attracting new jobs and developments to the riverside.
“The new water channel is just one of a series of environmental enhancements resulting from these works alongside better town centre air quality and improved access to public paths and cycle routes, while protecting popular green spaces.”
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