The A1 has now re-opened following the demolition of Fort Bridge as part of a major project to upgrade the dual carriageway to a three lane motorway between Leeming and Barton.
Contractors for Highways England demolished the bridge during a 34 hour closure to allow space for an extra lane to be added to the road network. A new bridge will be rebuilt at a later date.
Highways England project manager Tom Howard said:
We would like to thank drivers for their patience during the closure. This was a complex piece of engineering using 35-tonne excavators which is why it was essential we closed sections of the A1.
The demolition marks a major milestone in the scheme and the team battled challenging weather conditions to ensure the road re-opened this morning.
The new Catterick central junction south of Fort Bridge opened last week, marking a major phase in the construction of the scheme.
Drivers can access the A1 via the new junction without having to travel through Catterick and Brompton on Swale.
The improvements are part of a £380 million Highways England project, which began last year, to widen 12 miles of the A1 in North Yorkshire from dual carriageway to a 3 lane motorway between Leeming and Barton. It is the largest Highways England roads project currently under construction in the country.
As part of the scheme a new local access road alongside the new motorway will be created improving safety for local traffic from the surrounding communities.
When completed the A1 Leeming to Barton scheme will boost the economy by creating a continuous motorway-standard route between London and Newcastle (including the M1 and A1M). It will also improve journey times and increase safety.
