Bridge where animals have right of way
NEW GREEN CROSSING OVER BYPASS GIVES WILDLIFE A SAFE ROUTE TO HABITATS
THESE pictures show the new ‘green bridge’ over the Knutsford-Bowdon bypass – which allows wildlife to cross the road safely.
The £1.15m construction spans the new A556 road, which opened in March last year, and is one of seven bridges crossing the highway.
Now, 11 months after the official ribbon-cutting, the bridge is starting to come to life, with hedgerows and plants taking root. Part farm access track and part wildlife corridor, the bridge – west of Mere in Cheshire – connects natural habitats separated by the new dual carriageway.
It also provides safe passage across the road for badgers, voles and other small animals, as well as supporting insect and bird life.
Project manager Paul Hampson said: “The green bridge was the centre-piece of our work to ensure the new A556 was the most environmentally-friendly road Highways England has ever built.
“We are delighted the planting has really taken hold and we’re looking forward to watching the bridge bloom for many years to come.”
The £192m bypass, which began construction in November 2014, provides large volumes of traffic with a link between the M6 and M56.
It replaces the old A556 which has been transformed into a £5m ‘green’ B road with dedicated routes for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
Now named the B5569, the old A556 route is also planted with wild flowers to separate it from road traffic and was handed over to Cheshire East Council in November.
A spokesman for Highways England said: “Constructing the new bridge cost about £890,000 with a further £273,000 on ‘greening work’ on the deck, which included planting trees, shrubs and grasses.
“Installing the green bridge was one of dozens of measures delivered during the 28-month project to enhance the environment or minimise the impact of the new road, or its actual construction, on its surroundings.” The new route has a number of other eco features: nine great crested newt habitats, a man-made badger sett, replacement bat roosts, 21 ponds for amphibians and small mammals, barn owl boxes, 80 semi-mature trees and 60,000 saplings.