Construction of bridges underway as foundations are laid for an open and accessible Olympic Park

The work will see the construction of more than 30 new bridges in the Olympic Park to create new connections across the site and leave an open and accessible area in legacy.
Balfour Beatty, one of the ODA’s structures, bridges and highways contractors, has now started work on the foundations of a permanent new bridge in the centre of the Olympic Park. The bridge will span over Carpenters Road to create an essential link for construction traffic between the north and south of the site. The bridge will then become an important part of the central pedestrian concourse through the middle of the Olympic Park in Games time and legacy.

The start of works saw 290 cubic metres of concrete poured to create the first foundations for the abutments of the bridge. Once the foundations and bridge abutments are in place, 23 metre-long steel beams will be lifted into place to form the deck of the bridge which will be operational for construction traffic from November this year.

Balfour Beatty will also begin works later this summer on the huge land bridge that will be the gateway to the Games, taking people from Stratford International and Stratford Regional Stations into the Olympic Park. The land-bridge will form part of the roof of the Aquatics Centre and will be delivered by Balfour Beatty as part of its Aquatics Centre contract. Abutment works on the Stratford City side of the bridge were completed last year and Balfour Beatty will begin work later this summer on the bridge abutments within the Olympic Park.

ODA Director of Infrastructure and Utilities Simon Wright said:

“The start of bridgeworks is a significant moment and shows we are planning for legacy from the very beginning as we start to create the backbone of the Olympic Park and a platform for future development.

“Building new bridges and roads is a crucial element across the life of the project, from creating new links across the site for construction activity, to delivering an open and accessible Park during the Games, and forming new links between local communities in legacy.”

The site of the Olympic Park is made up of fragmented pockets of land, and in the past has suffered from poor connections between local communities. The structures, bridges and highways project will see more than 30 bridges and 20km of roads built in and around the Olympic Park to create new connections across the site.

Notes to editors:

1. Images of bridge construction works on the Olympic Park are available from the ODA press office on 020 3 2012 709

2. Contracts for the first four packages of structures, bridges and highways work were awarded in January 2008:

• Olympic Park North Civils, Roads and Bridges Skanska Construction Limited
• Olympic Park South Civils, Roads and Bridges Edmund Nuttall Limited
• Rail Over-Bridges Balfour Beatty Group Limited
• Main Stadium Area Bridges Balfour Beatty Group Limited

3. Shortlists have also been drawn up for the next 2 packages of works in the project:

Wetland Area Bridges (three footbridges in the north of the Olympic Park across the River Lea):

• Costain 
• Edmund Nuttall 
• John Sisk & Son (Holdings) 
• Lagan Construction 
• Norwest Holst 
• Skanska Construction UK

Central Park Bridge (The construction of a footbridge on the central pedestrian concourse in the Olympic Park):

• Carillion Construction
• Costain
• Edmund Nuttall
• John Sisk and Son (Holdings)
• Lagan Construction
  

4. The contract for the Wetland Area bridges will be awarded in Autumn 2008 with work due to start on site in early 2009. The Central Park bridge contract is expected to be awarded in late 2008 with work due to start on site in 2009.

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For further information please contact the Olympic Delivery Authority Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 700.

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