Infinity Bridge, Stockton-on-Tees
- Client: Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
- Principal designer: Expedition Engineering
- Project manager: WYG Engineering
- Principal contractor: Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd
- Contract value: £16 million
About the project
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council wanted to create a catalyst for the regeneration of the city’s North Shore site, a former chemical works.
A unique footbridge now links the north and south shores and is already used by 4,000 people every day. The new access promises to bring more business and employment to the area.
The sinuous span of the bridge is supported by two steel arches, which visually create the mathematical symbol for infinity. Each arch is tied along its length by a pair of cables, which resolve to a single point in the centre of the river. The 125mm pre-caste concrete deck was fabricated on site, to allow greater control of quality and lower tolerance limits.
Every design element carries out multiple tasks, reducing the materials required. For example, the concrete deck is the walking surface as well as providing the drainage channels, housing services and base fittings for handrails. Bespoke LED lighting units with motion sensors are installed within the deck and change colour with movement across the bridge.
Materials were locally sourced, including the blue igneous aggregate finish to the deck which comes from a local quarry.
Judges' comment
"Two steel arches supporting a pre-cast concrete deck produce one of the country’s longest footbridges but – at 125mm – one of the thinnest walking surfaces."
