Engineering projects earn awards for city

Two Sunderland City Council infrastructure projects have won regional civil engineering awards.

The recognition came in the Institution of Civil Engineering (ICE) North East Robert Stephenson Awards when emergency work at the Port of Sunderland won the small project category and the city’s Northern Gateway scheme was named medium project of the year.

Leader of Sunderland City Council, Cllr Graeme Miller said: "Well done to all the teams who planned and successfully completed these projects. Civil engineers play a major part in our city' s life as without them we would not have the roads, bridges and infrastructure that helps keeps our city running and functioning.

The Northern Gateway reintroduced two-way traffic to the north of Wearmouth Bridge, created a new junction for coast bound traffic and returned Dame Dorothy Street to two-way traffic. It was completed in stages through 2018 and 2019.

In the winter and spring of 2018, heavy seas damaged piers and sea defences at the Old North Pier, New South Pier and the Stonehill Wall that defends the Port of Sunderland.

A series of emergency repair and strengthening works were completed through 2018 and 2019.

Mark Jackson, the council's assistant director of infrastructure, planning and transportation, said: "Our in-house design and construction teams led on these projects with our partners and we are pleased to report they were both rated so highly by our peers at ICE."