Randalstown Footbridge & Cycleway, Co Antrim
This project involved the provision of a footpath and cycleway to link two communities using the remains of the massive Randalstown viaduct and the dismantled permanent way. A new 22m span footbridge was needed to span the main Randalstown - Antrim road. To balance the weight of the viaduct despite the modest span of the structure, a traditional railway design was adopted using multi-lattices comprising open channel sections, flat bars and feature packing plates. By using broad thin members, a bridge of heavy appearance was created, while being economical in steel weight terms.
The bridge was prefabricated, painted off-site and lifted into position in a single operation using two mobile cranes. The colour and lighting for the bridge and approaches were chosen to compliment the masonry viaduct and the Randalstown Conservation Area. The scheme received approval from the DoE Environment & Heritage Service.