Drivers and wildlife benefit from new bridge at Glencoe
Concerns over the impact on wildlife saw developers take special measures during construction work on the newly opened Allt Fhiodhan Bridge on the A82 in Glencoe.
As well as well as the bulk of the work being programmed to take place during the summer months to avoid impacting the salmon spawning season, special mammal walkways were also incorporated into the design to allow any wildlife to safely cross under the new £1.5million bridge.
The six months of construction were funded by Transport Scotland. The bridge was built to replace the previous, sub-standard bridge on the A82, which is located around one mile south east of Glencoe village.
The new, box-culvert design is 6m wider than the previous structure and includes a 2.5m wide footpath for pedestrians.
It has been designed to last for 120 years and is able to handle significantly higher water flows in the Allt Fhiodhan burn, which flows into the River Coe. A temporary bridge was installed to allow two-way traffic to continue to flow during the construction of the new bridge; meaning disruption was kept to a minimum throughout the project.
Approximately 1,200 tonnes of rock armour was installed around the new structure to protect the foundation and the river banks from any potential wash-out during high river flows. Minor landscaping work will be carried out around the new structure in the spring, but there will be no impact to road users.
A new, greener embankment is also set to be created early next year downstream of the new structure using a traditional technique known as ‘willow spiling’. Live willow rods are woven between live willow uprights and the area behind is filled with soil for the willow to root into. This is done in a terrace formation helping to create a strong, natural river bank. Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said he was delighted to see this important piece of work being delivered to ensure the Allt Fhiodhan Bridge is fit for the future.
‘The A82 is a key route and this investment underlines the Scottish Government’s commitment to providing a safe and reliable trunk road network for the communities and businesses that rely on it,’ he added.
Commenting on the project, Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: ‘We are delighted that the new A82 Allt Fhiodhan Bridge is now fully open to traffic following six months of construction.
‘The newly widened carriageway will ensure the A82 trunk road remains a safe, reliable route to towns and villages in the north west of Scotland, and the new design will ensure the structure will last for over 120 years.
‘We thank all road users for their patience during the construction of this new £1.5M bridge and hope they are pleased with the results.’