Hull Daily Mail

Work on new footbridge over A63 is set to begin

CROSSING NEAR PORTER STREET

- By GREGORY FORD gregory.ford@reachplc.com @Fordwrit

A NEW 37m-long footbridge is set to be installed over the A63 to improve safety and reduce congestion as part of a £355m investment in Hull city centre

Highways England will start work this week on the Porter Street footbridge, which will be further down the A63 from the iconic Murdoch’s Connection, which links pedestrian­s and cyclists from the city centre to the marina, waterfront and fruit market.

This new footbridge, close to where major improvemen­ts are being carried out to the Mytongate junction, is described as an integral part of the overall A63 Castle Street project.

Highways England says the project will support Hull’s economic growth, improving journeys to and from the city centre, and will help the nearby port to thrive.

Fran Oliver, project manager at Highways England, said: “The new Porter Street footbridge, like the popular Murdoch’s Connection to the east, will allow pedestrian­s and cyclists to safely cross the dual carriagewa­y and ease congestion on the A63.

“The existing pedestrian crossing at Porter Street will be closed from mid-july to allow us to install the new footbridge. We’d urge people to follow the official diversion routes and not to cross in unsafe places while this important work takes place.

“I appreciate everyone’s patience while we carry out this work which, like the rest of the Castle Street improvemen­ts, will have huge, long-term benefits for the city.”

The summer phase of work will involve drilling 26 concrete piles, 28 metres into the ground, to support the foundation­s of the new bridge. This part of the work will be carried out during the day between 7.30am and 6pm.

Large drilling rigs will be used to push 900mm tubes into the ground, with the holes drilled under water, to reduce the noise levels.

In July the existing pedestrian crossing will be closed and people will be diverted to an alternativ­e crossing. This will allow work to begin on the bridge which will be in the same location as the old crossing.

Finally, 500 cubic meters of concrete will create its foundation before the lifting of the bridge takes place in autumn.

The structure, which will be transporte­d to Hull, weighs around 50 tonnes and will be lifted into its new home during a weekend closure.

Up to 140 tonnes of steelwork will be used to create the ramp and stairs.

Demolition work at the nearby old Arco site has been completed and the final bricks and rubble are being removed. Archaeolog­y work in the Trinity Burial Ground is due to finish later in the summer.

Highways England is inviting questions about the A63 Castle Street major project scheme through a webinar on Wednesday, June 30, at 5pm.

For more details, visit https:// highwaysen­gland.co.uk/our-work/ yorkshire-and-north-east/a63-castlestre­et

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