A major milestone has been reached on the £1.3 billion Queensferry Crossing project.

The contractor, Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC), has completed the link between the structures north deck and viaduct, meaning the bridge is now connected to Fife.

Comprising over 10,000 tonnes of steel and 20,000 tonnes of concrete, the temporary structure is around 600-metres long and weighs approximately 30,000 tonnes. A total of 46-stay cables have been installed to hold the bridge deck in place.

The milestone represents the first of four closures between the "deck fans" now nearing completion around each of the bridge's three towers.

-- Advertisement --

Michael Martin, FCBC Project Director said: "After installing the last road deck section and connecting it to the expanding North Tower road deck, we then had to close the remaining gap on the north – or landward – side. This was done by pulling the northern approach viaduct 700 millimetres southwards. This was a massive and, at the same time, very delicate operation. Massive because the viaduct is 222 metres long, weighs approximately 6,000 tonnes and had to be pulled up a gradient of about 3 per cent. Delicate because the tolerances the team were working to were tiny – just a few millimetres either way

Economy Secretary Keith Brown, who was among the first to walk from the land on to the bridge, said: "The progress being made on the Queensferry Crossing and its approach roads continues to demand skill and dedication from everyone involved.

"I am pleased to update that subject to weather conditions, the project remains significantly under budget and on track to open in May 2017 in line with the revised programme and the contractual completion date."

(LM/CD)