Press release
23 December 2024The Clackmannanshire Bridge, formerly known as the Kincardine Bridge – the world’s second-longest incrementally launched bridge – was inaugurated on November 19, 2008.
The Clackmannanshire Bridge was inaugurated on November 19, 2008 by Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland, in the presence of the 11th Count of Elgin, who had been present at the age of 7 for the launch of construction on the first Kincardine Bridge in 1931.
The 11th Count of Elgin is descended from Thomas Bruce, 7e Count of Elgin, a British diplomat who oversaw the shipping of sculptures from the Parthenon to the British Museum in the early part of 19th century. This €145-million project, which VINCI Construction Grands Projets (50 %) carried out in collaboration with Morgan Est, consisted in the design and construction of an incrementally launched bridge over the River Forth as well as 2-km access roads on both sides.
The First Minister called the Clackmannanshire Bridge a world-class infrastructure project. The new bridge will cut journey time considerably, improve connections in Central Scotland, and provide direct access to the districts of Clackmannanshire, Fife, and Falkirk. Approximately 20,000 cars will cross the new bridge every day. The 1,200-m span will connect trunk roads north and south of the River Forth, reducing traffic congestion in the city of Kincardine, located 40 kilometres northwest of Edinburgh.
From an environmental standpoint, the Clackmannanshire Bridge project included measures to limit the impacts of major construction on local wildlife and vegetation. From its northern to its southern edges, the project was framed by protected natural zones (salt marshes and mud banks) that are home to many animal species, particularly, migrating birds. In accordance with Britain’s biodiversity action plan, the project included the removal of dykes from the site of a former electric power-generation plant to make way for 8 hectares of salt marshes and mud banks. It also included the creation of an island for birds. Another noteworthy feature of the project was its use of recycled materials as discharge from electrical plants and mining activities was used on-site as fill.
