Construction teams have reached a major milestone on the £600 million Mersey Gateway Project in Widnes.

One of the scheme's giant bridge-building machines, Trinity, has completed work to cast the final central span of the elevated north approach viaduct.

The movable scaffolding system (MSS) has developed 11 road deck spans, creating one seamless structure that sits on top of the supporting bridge piers.

Around 14,200m3 of concrete was used to deliver the central road deck section, measuring a total length of around 715 metres.

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Once the central spans have been built by the MSS, a deck slab is built on top of the span, with the outer deck or 'wings' built by a wing traveller machine to provide the full six-lane width of the approach road.

Gareth Stuart, Merseylink's Project Director, said: "This is another great achievement for the project. We now have the central section of the road deck complete and expect the entire north approach viaduct to be finished within the next couple of months.

"This key piece of road infrastructure is one of two elevated approach viaducts that will connect the new bridge to the main road networks in Widnes and Runcorn improving links between the two towns and the wider region."

Work will continue on the north approach viaduct as the wing traveller machine develops the outer deck to form the outside road lanes of the structure. The machine has built more than three quarters of the outer deck so far, with construction of the viaduct anticipated to finish around the end of March.

Overall, the Mersey Gateway bridge is on schedule to open in autumn 2017.

(LM/JP)