PROGRESS on the £250million regeneration of Sighthill reached a significant milestone this week, when the final section of steel for the landmark cycle and pedestrian bridge over the M8 was delivered to Glasgow.
The bridge will connect Sighthill to the nearby city centre.
In total, 18 sections of steel have been transported along the motorway, at night, and lifted into a temporary position for further fabrication.
Over the next three months the steel sections will be welded together to form the bridge, which is being funded by the Scottish and UK Governments through the Glasgow City Region City Deal.
With an overall span of 58 metres and a total weight of 2420 tonnes, the bridge will be fabricated on-site and then ‘driven’ down the M8 before being lifted into position by hydraulic jacks. This will require a series of partial and full closures of the M8 this summer.
As part of the bridge project, work has already begun on the terraced approach and plaza.
When completed, this ‘Street in the Sky’ will be part of an active travel corridor between the city centre, Sighthill and North Glasgow.
The regeneration of Sighthill is the biggest such project in the UK outside of London.
The neighbourhood will feature almost 1,000 new homes, a new community schools campus, a park, a public square and public spaces, shops and businesses, and an active travel network.
Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council and chair of the Glasgow City Region, said: “This new bridge will act as a gateway between Sighthill and Glasgow city centre, and is very much a striking symbol of the reconnection and the transformation of Sighthill.
“This next step in the project underlines the importance of this bridge, which will bring significant economic, environmental and social benefits to not only the reconnected Sighthill and city centre, but North Glasgow as a whole.”
The work is being delivered by BAM Nuttall, contractors working on behalf of Glasgow City Council.
Dougie Grant, BAM Nuttall divisional director, said: “Now that the steel sections have arrived you can get a sense of how unique this bridge will be –- it will be like no other bridge on the M8.”
