Manchester Road Bridge
One of the key projects of the Living Street Project is the development of a suitable, convenient and safe route across Manchester Road, which in addition to improving connectivity, will have the potential to visually enhance this important gateway into the City.
The new Manchester Road bridge
The new walking and cycling bridge will offer a more gentle approach from an area of green space adjacent to Newby School near the junction of Ryan Street with St Stephens Road.
It will then travel over Manchester Road to join with both Hutson Street and Roundhill Street via routes which will be constructed through a recent public park open space.
A third ramp will link the footway on the west side of Manchester Road with the bridge.
All bridge ramps will be 1:20 gradient, and the bridge 3.7m in width. Access through the public park will be 1:15 gradient.
The proposed walking and cycling bridge is a steel structure of unique design. It will form an elevated section of the Living Street and will be a gateway feature for Manchester Road.
The bridge will be approximately in the same position as the old footbridge it will replace, and is close to a surface level signalised crossing which serves a bus stop on the guided bus route.
The current bridge
The existing footbridge is nearly 40 years old and is in need of some maintenance to address time related deterioration. It does not meet standards for combined pedestrian and cyclist use. Access is also steep with 1 in 10 gradient access ramps on the southern approaches and steep steps to the north.. The overall bridge design does not encourage popular use and does not meet current accessibility standards.
During an average weekday 621 people use the surface crossing of Manchester Road, and only 340 the footbridge. For reasons of safety the nearby Newby School encourages pupils and parents to use the bridge.
