BDB lands £4m Queen’s Park Bridge repair
Rochdale Council has chosen local civil engineering and concrete repair expert BDB Special Projects to strengthen the 136-metre bridge over the River Roch.
Queen’s Park Bridge was built in the early 1930s and connects Heywood and Rochdale.
“While it’s stood proud for almost a century, it’s now showing its age,” said Rochdale Council cabinet member for highways Cllr Shah Wazir.
Wazir continued: “We’re stepping in to ensure it will be fit for another hundred years.”
Repairing the structure will be a 12-month project, according to Rochdale Council. Heywood-based BDB Special Projects is to start work in January fixing the concrete and replacing parapets.
BDB will also install recreations of the bridge’s original green-and-gold steel lighting columns, which were removed recently. Also on the to-do list: taking out concrete barriers between the pavement and road and replacing them with lighter weight Trief kerbs.
“As we’re based in Heywood, this is on our doorstep, so it’s an absolute honour to undertake this project,” said Ben Dobson, director at BDB.
“This bridge has been in place for 90 years now and it’s a key gateway into Heywood,” Dobson continued “We’ll be giving back to the community by supporting the repair of the BMX track in Queen’s Park and we’re hoping to do some projects with the two primary schools along Queen’s Park Road: St Michael’s and St Luke’s.”
Motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists will be able to access the bridge during the repair process, with the exception of when there is an overnight closure.
Awesome, after seeing an early photo I always wished someone would restore it. Might I suggest clearing a few of the overgrown trees from the roadside so you can get the full beauty of the bridge as you approach. Like it was originally.
By Shane Lloyd
My grandfather Robert Fitton was clark of works during its constructuon by R & T Howarth of Rochdale. The letter “H” was cast into the concrete of the parapet.
By alexander james parker