Bridge to bring digital ambition
A multi-million pound vision for a ‘smart street bridge’ in Sunderland is set to move ahead, as the transformation of the city’s riverside gathers pace.
Plans to deliver a high-level pedestrian and cycle bridge areexpectedtobeapprovedby SunderlandCityCouncil’scabinet next week, paving the way for the council to seek a design and build contractor.
The structure, which will connect the former Vaux Brewery site to Sheepfolds, aims to frame the Wearmouth Bridge and complement the changing cityscape as part of the Riverside Sunderland regeneration scheme.
Featuring augmented reality, the crossing will allow people to use their smartphones to see virtual displays, creating experiences that council bosses say will ‘bring the city’s digital ambitions to life.’
The bridge will also include creative lighting that will appear as a ‘shard of light’ in the evening, illuminating the green open spaces that flank the riverside below.
Councillor Graeme Miller, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “This street bridge represents a hugely significant piece of infrastructure that will bring together both sides of the river, something that is critical to our vision of creating a vibrant mixed-use community spanning the north and south of the Wear.
“However, we’re determined to create a bridge that brings to life the ambition of the city, so integrating light, smart technology and excellent design will make this a really experience-led crossing, that will deliver a visual treat for people using it.
“The city was named Smart City 2020, so it is apt that we integrate this into our developments to enrich our spaces and create a place that is future-focused and dynamic. That is exactly what this bridge will be.”
The bridge plans were mooted in 2019 and appeared in a transformational delivery plan for Riverside Sunderland which was revealed earlier this year.
Set to open in the first half of 2023, the crossing will include a high parapet and balustrades for safety and will stand at a height that ensures that river-use will not be restricted.
The project – which was warmly welcomed by Sunderland AFC players past and present when plans were revealed – will extend from the Keel Line connecting to the banks of the Wear in the shadow of the Stadium of Light. Council chiefs also hope to use the Port of Sunderland to build the new crossing in sections, transporting them upriver to construct the bridge.
Cabinet will discuss the project’s next steps at a digital meeting on Tuesday, which can be viewed on the council’s YouTube channel.
According to a report prepared for city leaders, the estimated cost of delivering the project is around £31million.
It is one of a number of major developments in the Riverside Sunderland Masterplan – from new homes, offices and state-of-the-art library and community hub ‘The Culture House’, to the upgrading of St Mary’s Boulevard into a new main street and transforming Galley’s Gill into a landscape park.
Computer-generated images of the fully developed Riverside Sunderland scheme released in October show two bridges crossing the River Wear.
The second crossing is expected to follow in the next 10 years.