Image by Matt From London
The footbridge will serve shoppers heading in and out of the Westfield shopping centre (under construction), connecting it to the current shopping centre, and it will be one of the main routes for pedestrians in and out of the Olympic park. Weighing a huge 1,600 tonnes, the bridge was built in three parts then lifted into place over 11 live railway tracks; all work was completed without disrupting any of the transport lines running through Stratford. And it was on time, within budget and as anyone who has tried to navigate around Stratford on foot will agree, it's a very welcome addition to the area, which can seem little more than lanes of traffic zooming around a shopping centre marooned in the middle of a roundabout. It will be open for use in 2011.