York’s newest bridge is about to open to all.
Scarborough Bridge will open tomorrow (Thursday 18 April), although work on the £4.4m scheme will continue for several more weeks.
The pedestrian and cycle bridge will improve access for people travelling on two wheels or two feet between the station and the city centre.
Although the bridge will be open to the public from 3pm on Thursday, work will continue to complete the new steps to the riverside paths and sections of the ramps.
The river crossing will remain open to the public throughout these works, but with some minor width restrictions at times, as well as temporary lighting and a temporary handrail.
Viking design
And designers say the new bridge will now be accessible even when the River Ouse is in flood.
The £4.4m project has been funded by a £1.9m grant through the Combined Authority’s CityConnect programme, a £1.5m Local Growth Fund secured by YNYER EP and £1m of City of York Council funds.
Assistant director for highways, transport and the environment at City of York Council, James Gilchrist, said:
-
I’d like to thank local residents and users of the bridge for bearing with us during these works.
The new bridge is substantially wider and we’ve brought it up to date making it accessible for all. We’ve done this whilst giving a nod to York’s Viking heritage with the bridge’s ‘ribs’ in the style of a Viking longship.
This complements the adjacent railway bridge, which is constructed of the same ‘weathering steel’ which gives it its distinct colour.
Scarborough Bridge has been closed to the public since the end of January to allow for ongoing construction works, including the old footbridge being lifted out by rail crane to make way for the new, wider and more accessible shared use bridge.
More than 3,000 people crossed the old footbridge daily, despite access issues and this number is expected to rise considerably one the scheme has been completed.