Any work that is carried out in the magnificent area of Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands will need to blend seamlessly and unobtrusively into the scenery.
The old Allt Fhiodhan bridge was showing signs of degeneration; it had not been designed with modern traffic in mind, and there was also a need for a safer route for pedestrians between the village and the visitor centre and campsite.
BEAR Scotland was the main contractor for the one and a half million-pound project and commissioned Shay Murtagh Pre-Cast Concrete to manufacture and deliver precast culverts and bespoke patterned wing walls for the project.
The A82 bridge over the Allt Fhiodhan burn, which flows into the River Coe, needed to be six metres wider than the old bridge and to include a safe footpath. Since Glencoe is famed, among other things, for its wildlife, there is also a passageway for mammals, a feature that has become increasingly popular over the past few years as planners take account of the growing danger of flooding and its impact on wildlife.
The new bridge has been designed for longevity, and it is estimated that it will last for over one hundred and twenty years. With strength and durability as such major factors in the design of the bridge, precast concrete was the obvious choice, and Shay Murtagh, with over four decades of experience in the field, was the best manufacturer to make the sturdy box culverts and the attractively-faced bespoke wing walls.
The new bridge is now open, and traffic on the key A82 is moving more freely and safely. This improvement is bringing benefits to the communities and the businesses that rely upon the road, and BEAR Scotland and Shay Murtagh are pleased and proud to have delivered the work on time and within budget.
