The bridge under construction.
The Upper Forth Crossing is the name given to the project to build a third road bridge over the Firth of Forth in Scotland.
The increasing levels of traffic using the existing Kincardine Bridge led to a public inquiry being held into options to ease traffic flow over the Forth and around the small town of Kincardine. In 2000 proposals were put forward for a number of alternatives, one of which was a new crossing running north-northwest of the existing bridge, bypassing the town of Kincardine altogether.
In 2005 the new crossing was given the go-ahead, and construction began in June 2006, with the sod-cutting ceremony performed by the Scottish Transport Minister, Tavish Scott, accompanied by the Earl of Elgin who as a boy had performed the ceremony for the Kincardine Bridge.
On completion, the bridge deck will be 1.2km long, weigh 35,000 tonnes and will sit on 25 piers which are each filled with 840 tonnes of concrete.
As yet the bridge has not been named, but a minor row has broken out between those local authorities with a vested interest.[1] Clackmannanshire Council voted to suggest "Clackmannanshire Bridge" - even though two other councils, Fife and Falkirk, are involved and no part of the bridge would be inside the Clackmannanshire area. Fife Council have responded with "Kingdom Bridge" (referring to the historic kingdom of Fife). Other suggestions have included "Wallace Bridge" after Sir William Wallace.[2] The Scottish Government has intimated that a decision will be made later in 2008.[3]
The bridge is expected to open to traffic in November 2008.
References
- ^ "Troubled waters for bridge naming". BBC News.
- ^ BBC NEWS | Scotland | Tayside and Central | Council solution over bridge name
- ^ BBC NEWS | Scotland | Tayside and Central | Campaign to name bridge under way
External links
Coordinates: 56°04′09″N, 3°44′04″W
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