Our ‘30 Projects for 30 Years’ series celebrates the infrastructure delivered by CECA members over the past three decades. This profile features the £790 million Queensferry Crossing, delivered by Morrison Construction as part of a consortium with Hochtief, Dragados and American Bridge for Transport Scotland.
Completed in 2017, the 2.7km crossing strengthened a vital transport connection across the Firth of Forth. Its construction achieved exceptional engineering milestones, including a 644-metre free-standing balanced cantilever and a continuous underwater concrete pour involving 17,000 cubic metres of concrete.
Carrying around 80,000 vehicles a day, the bridge incorporates wind barriers that improve journey reliability during severe weather. In its first five years, it remained open on more than 100 occasions when wind conditions would previously have required restrictions or closure on the Forth Road Bridge. Avoiding a day’s closure has an estimated benefit of £600,000 to the haulage industry.
The project demonstrates how CECA members combine engineering expertise and collaboration to deliver lasting benefits for communities, businesses and the wider economy.