The 141m-long bridge will have a steel deck and 40m-high steel towers standing close to the river banks, leaving the main central section of the river free from obstruction.
The project’s feasibility study, which was published in April last year, had looked at 11 design options and recommended three for further consideration (link opens in new tab). The other two options were a curved twin inclined bowstring arch bridge and another two-tower cable-stayed design.
“We have now examined these options further and selected a preferred option which has a striking design and will be an iconic construction connecting two of the city’s key assets, the Gasworks Business Park and the Ormeau Park,” said transport minister Danny Kennedy.
At a cost of between US10.6 million to US$13.7 million, the preferred design is the least expensive of the three options and is expected to have the least environmental impact during construction, said Kennedy.
The next stage in the process is to seek the views of stakeholders on the environmental issues associated with the proposed bridge. There will also be opportunities for the public to see the preferred design and to discuss the proposals with the design team. The aim is for a planning application to be submitted later this year.
