Dawnus

Dawnus has completed the successful installation of the Fishers Mill combined footbridge, in front of an excited audience of local people. The 28m clear span and 45m approach boardwalk will form part of the Exe Trail cycleway from Exmouth to Exeter.

The project to construct the new footbridge in Topsham is being carried out for Devon County Council.

The bridge lift was scheduled to be installed in a 3 day full road closure. Two cranes, a 250 tonne mobile for the main span and a 55 tonne for the approach spans, were set up either side of the existing listed road bridge.

The road was closed at 6 am on September 7th, and despite a delay due to high winds preventing the main lift, all the spans were in place by 6.30pm.

The landing of the final beam was greeted by a resounding round of applause from the assembled locals including client representatives, councillors and members of the local community.

Following the lift, clients and operatives were all invited to celebrate with specially commissioned ale and hog roast at the Bridge Inn, which overlooks the project.

The project continued to attract attention the following day as the 250t crane was removed and the road re-opened a day early, in time for the evening rush hour.

Nick Bott of Devon County Council expressed his thanks to the site team, saying: “There were lots of compliments and people have been impressed with the way the works are being undertaken, and the consideration of the workforce.”