Wolverhampton's glass bridge taking shape

The striking £1.8 million glass footbridge that will become Wolverhampton's latest landmark was taking shape today.

A 150ft-high crane gently lowered five 30m-long 36-ton girders into place across Ring Road St David's on Saturday night, with work continuing tonight.

When complete the bridge will link the city's new £22.5m bus station to the railway station and carry pedestrians almost 20ft above the ring road.

Cross sections sit on bolts already cast into concrete and reach out to a five-metre tall reinforced column built on the central reservation to take its weight. Seven giant fins have already been attached to the south side of the structure.

These will be clad in handmade copper strips and support the glass side and roof, which give a distinctive look to the footbridge.

The 30-strong construction crew will go through exactly the same moves tonight and tomorrow night while putting up the east side of the building.

The floor of the completed footbridge will then be concreted and and covered with granite with strip lighting set into it.

Projects manager Ivan Gethin said today: "It is just like assembling a giant Meccano kit."

The work is due to be finished by the end of the month, eight weeks ahead of schedule. Both sides of the carriageway on Ring Road St David's, between Bilston Street island and Broad Street, will be closed daily from 7pm to 7am this month while the project takes place.

Wolverhampton regeneration chief Peter Bilson said: "This is a new landmark for Wolverhampton."