A further eight week time extension for the new £22.3million Third Don Crossing project has been agreed between Aberdeen City Council and the main contractors Balfour Beatty.
The extension has been agreed due to problems with weather, re-routing underground utilities and unforeseen circumstances.
Aberdeen City Council Communities, Housing and Infrastructure convener Councillor Neil Cooney said: “This is Aberdeen’s largest major new bridge infrastructure since the construction of the Queen Elizabeth Bridge 30 years ago and projects of this size are technically complex..
‘While we recognise how frustrating these delays are for people, it must be remembered this is a major project which includes two bridges, creating a new road, re-alignment of existing roads, creating cycle paths, and pavements.
“The Third Don Crossing project will help transform getting around the city along with other major projects which Aberdeen City Council is investing in, including the AWPR, the A96 Park and Choose and Airport Link Road, and the Berryden Corridor.
“Once the bridge is open, people on both sides of the River Don will see a tremendous difference getting around the city.”
Balfour Beatty is the main contractor for the Third Don Crossing and has been instrumental in adding extra resources to ensuring work changing a roundabout to a signalled crossing is carried out quickly over the Easter weekend to minimise disruption to motorists.
St Machar Drive is closed for several days while it is being resurfaced to allow the new signalised junction as part of the Third Don Crossing project to be constructed, which replaces the existing roundabout at Bedford Road.
St Machar Drive was closed from 7pm on Thursday 24 March and will reopen at 6am on Tuesday 29 March 2016. It is anticipated that disruption will be minimised due to many organisations and schools being closed for the Easter holiday.
Local diversions and additional restrictions within the Tillydrone area will also be in place to facilitate these works. Motorists are asked to use an alternative route if at all possible. Scheduled bus services to and from Tillydrone will however be accommodated during the closure.
George Hood, Balfour Beatty Managing Director, said: “We continue to support Aberdeen City Council in order to ensure all works are completed as quickly as possible.
“Once complete, the Third Don Crossing will play a significant role in improving local transportation routes. All other works continue to progress at a good rate.”
The project requires the construction of two major bridges, with the first being a 26m skew span reinforced concrete bridge over the Mill Lade at Grandholm Village and the second a 90m span steel box girder bridge over the River Don.
The Third Don Crossing will see the construction of a new single carriageway link road between the Parkway/Whitestripes Road junction and the Tillydrone Avenue/St Machar Drive junctions, including the construction of the new bridges.
Work on the project – which includes the bridge structure and 1.5 miles of connecting roads on both sides of the River Don - started in August 2014.