New 240-ton bridge installed on M54 - video
[gallery] A new 240-ton bridge has been installed on the M54 as part of a major operation that saw seven miles of motorway closed overnight.
The 45-metre bridge forms part of the i54 development, where Jaguar Land Rover is building a £355 million engine plant and creating 750 jobs.
Drivers were forced to take 14-mile diversions from 8pm on Saturday with the M54 closed in both directions between junction two at Coven Heath and junction three near Albrighton.
Bosses said everything had gone to plan during the operation, which comes three months after a 50-ton skeleton of the bridge arrived at the i54 business park, in Fordhouses, where it was pieced together.
Just after 11.30pm on Saturday crews began gently lifting the bridge over the floodlit motorway carriageway, which was was reopened at 10am on Sunday.
Councillor Mike Maryon, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Projects likes these are the nuts and bolts of the i54 South Staffordshire scheme.
"Our engineers worked through the night to move the bridge into place and I am delighted that everything went to plan."
Diversions took motorists onto the A449 to Gailey, the A5 and then the A41 to get back to junction three – an overall journey of about 14 miles.
The new bridge will replace an existing bridge in Middle Lane, which needs to be moved to allow access to the business park.
It will be used for access to wastewater treatment works and as a footpath and bridleway, as well as for construction traffic over the next few months. The bridge will be open to the public next year.
The i54 park is a joint venture between Staffordshire County Council, Wolverhampton City Council and South Staffordshire Council.
