Second Severn Crossing

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Second Severn crossing seen from the English side looking West, January 2006

The Second Severn crossing, seen here from the English side of the river, carries the M4 motorway between England and Wales. The shipping channel lies between the two towers

The Second Severn Crossing is a motorway crossing over the estuary of the River Severn between England and Wales, inaugurated on 5 June 1996 to augment the traffic capacity of the original Severn Bridge built in 1966.

The crossing was built by a business consortium, and this time the tolls were collected on the Welsh side near Rogiet (but in the same direction as on the first crossing). Its location is further to the south than the old bridge and being more in line with the landward sides of the M4 motorway, is a shorter journey when travelling from England to South Wales. The junctions at each end are designed for most traffic to use this crossing – to use the old Severn crossing one has to leave the M4 and join the M48 motorway either at Aust or near Magor. The new crossing carries more traffic than the first bridge which continues in use. Its Welsh end is in Monmouthshire; its English end at Severn Beach in South Gloucestershire.

The second crossing is 3.186 miles (5.128 km) long, consisting of a single central navigation span over the "Shoots" channel and approach viaducts on either side. The central span, called the Shoots Bridge, is of cable-stayed construction and is 456 metres in length. It is wider and more resistant to high winds than the original crossing, having three lanes and hard shoulder each way, compared to the 2 lanes and cyclepath/footpath of the original crossing. The crossing forms a gentle S shape and near the English side crosses over the top of the Severn railway tunnel.

Prior to construction, there was controversy over the environmental impact to the surrounding area. The approach viaducts on the east side are built on the English Stones, a rocky outcrop which is uncovered at low tide. The crossing bridge is built near extensive mudflats in the Severn Estuary, which are used by migrating birds. The main concerns were the immediate damage that could arise from construction work and the longer term problems of traffic pollution.

Sub-assemblies for the bridge were constructed onshore and then shifted by a large tracked vehicle (similar to that used to move the Apollo and Space Shuttle at Cape Kennedy) onto a barge, prior to being floated-out on the high tide to the appropriate site.

View of the Second Severn Crossing from Severn Beach on the English side

[edit] External links

• Severn River Crossing PLC
• Timelapse video of the crossing on Youtube

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 51.57589° -2.70692°
  • Satellite image from WikiMapia or Google Map
  • Street map from Multimap or GlobalGuide
  • Aerial image from TerraServer

• River Severn Bridges