ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: The Mersey Gateway Bridge Project includes a 2.25 km landmark crossing of the River Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes in Northwest England. It was tendered using a Competitive Dialogue process in-tended to provide best value whilst meeting client specified core requirements. Merseylink studied various structural solutions for the main river crossing and selected a mono pylon multi-span cable stayed bridge with a single trapezoidal box girder. Main Bridge construction employs balanced cantilever travellers to construct an in-situ concrete deck whilst approach viaducts are to be constructed using a Movable Scaf-fold System (MSS). This paper discusses the process of the development and evaluation of the various potential alternative structural solutions and construction methodologies to meet the client’s requirements and provide best value for money. With construction now underway an evaluation of key construction challenges and solutions is made.
