Schools’ competition for naming Third Don Crossing

12 October 2015

Pupils at the two city primary schools at either side of the Third Don Crossing are to choose the official name for the new £18million bridge.

The youngsters at Riverbank and Danestone Schools will be given a choice of names and the most popular suggestion will then be ratified at a later Aberdeen City Council committee.

Aberdeen City Council Finance, Policy and Resources Committee Vice-Convener Councillor Ross Thomson said: "It is fantastic that pupils will choose the name of the bridge and I'm sure they will have lots of fun with the project.

"The bridge will make a huge difference in their lives as they will be the ones growing up in the area and reaping the benefits of improved transportation links.

"It's great to see the work so far on the bridge and when it's constructed and opened, people living and working on both sides of the River Don will see a big difference in getting around their part of the city.

"The bridge will transform city connectivity making a major difference for local residents and visitors getting around Aberdeen, along with commuters travelling in and out of the city on a daily basis."

The project requires the construction of two major bridges, with the first being a 26m skew span reinforced concrete bridge over the Mill Lade at Grandholm Village and the second a 90m span steel box girder bridge over the River Don.

Balfour Beatty is the main contractor for the Third Don Crossing.

The Third Don Crossing will see the construction of a new single carriageway link road between the Parkway/Whitestripes Road junction and the Tillydrone Avenue/St Machar Drive junctions, including the construction of the new bridges.

Work started in August 2014 and the contract completion date is expected in January 2016.

The bridge beams were lifted into place in July by a specialist 1,000-tonne crane, and work on the remaining part of the project including continuing work on the reinforcement of the bridge structures, painting, along with constructing new roads, pavements and cycle ways is currently taking place.