Happy Birthday Flintshire Bridge – It was officially opened on March 6th 1998

Happy Birthday Flintshire Bridge, Deeside’s iconic bridge was officially opened nineteen years ago today by Queen Elizabeth II

Flintshire Bridge, the ‘New Bridge’ or the ‘Bridge to Nowhere” call it what you want, there’s no denying the asymmetric cable-stayed bridge spanning the Dee Estuary is a thing of absolute beauty.

Work on the the bridge began in 1994 and was completed in 1997 at a total cost of £55m.

The 965 ft long bridge carries the A548 linking Flint and Connah’s Quay to the shore north of the River Dee at the southern end of the Wirral Peninsula, it reaches an impressive 387ft into the air.

The bridge was designed by the Percy Thomas Partnership, an award-winning British architectural practice which designed a number of landmark buildings in the UK including the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff.

It was paid for by the Welsh Office with all future maintenance costs expected to be the responsibility of Flintshire County Council.

According to traffic data the bridge carries around 13,000 vehicles daily however. that could all change if, following a Welsh Government consultation which begins next week, planners decide to plough £200m into the A494/A55 Deeside Corridor project and opt for the red route.

One of two options being considered. more here:

Deeside Corridor – Date for consultation on £200m A494/A55 major improvement work firmed up