Following on from its crossing of the Grand Union Canal this spring, the huge viaduct is finally built. The giant red “launching girder” which spent a couple of years crawling across the Colne Valley building the viaduct below itself, lies in pieces at the end of its journey, being packed up into shipping containers ready for its next project. The viaduct itself is having the pontoon sections of its haul road removed, while its parapet is also being added and other finishing works are taking place.
Quite soon, hopefully, there will be closer public access to more of its footprint, such as in Broadwater Lakes Natures Reserve, where a footbridge is promised to cross the River Colne beside where the viaduct does the same, although there is no sign of that being built yet.
At a later stage, railway works will come along and add tracks, signaling and overhead power – for now, the viaduct itself becomes the “haul road” for the HS2 project across the valley, as tunnels at either end of the viaduct get completed themselves.
I was struck by the relatively low profile of the bridge and its small footprint – in contrast with the impact a major road bridge might have. The viaduct is rather graceful in places as it sweeps across the valley in a gentle curve. Construction impact on either side is being minimised and eventually it should blend in, just a blade of concrete floating above the apparently natural (albeit flooded historic gravel pits) landscape.
Now that the line of cranes has gone, that wonderful, naturalistic view from The Old Orchard pub car-park is largely restored, with just a thin concrete line stretching right across. In time, tree growth will soften this further.
