A major milestone has been reached on the £600 million Mersey Gateway project.

Construction teams have installed the final 110-tonne concrete beam at the Astmoor Bridgewater Viaduct in Runcorn.

A total of 155 beams are supporting the reinforced concrete road deck on the viaduct, which forms a key part of a new 9.2km link road. The route diverts the majority of traffic across the new Mersey Gateway Bridge to relieve congestion on the Silver Jubilee Bridge.

In total, total 5,885m of beams have now been installed at the Astmoor Bridgewater Viaduct, with a total combined weight of some 16,177 tonnes.

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In addition, huge beams have also been installed for road elevations at the Ditton, Widnes Loops and Lodge Lane junctions.

Hugh O'Connor, General Manager of Merseylink, said: "As we draw closer to completion we're passing more and more of these vitally important landmarks. Earlier this month we completed 50% of the main bridge deck, and this week we're celebrating completing the final beam installation.

"The skill it takes to position these huge pieces of reinforced concrete into place is immense and I would like to thank all of the construction crews and crane operators who have helped us reach this milestone."

Gareth Stuart, Merseylink's Project Director, said: "Improvements to local highways are a key feature of this project.

"Completing this stage of the project is a huge achievement and brings us closer to finishing.

"When complete, the new link road will provide a seamless route across the new bridge making it quicker and easier for people to travel between Runcorn, Widnes and beyond."

(LM/MH)