Naver Bridge project marks milestone with visit from local school children

October was a landmark month for the Naver Bridge replacement scheme on the A836 section of the North Coast 500 near Bettyhill.

The installation of 30 precast bridge beams is now complete - a key milestone in the project’s delivery.

Each beam measures over 21 metres in length and weighs around 23 tonnes, and was lifted into place using a 500-tonne crane in two phases earlier this month.

Alongside this engineering achievement, contractors Wills Bros were delighted to welcome a group of pupils from Farr High School who visited the site to learn more about bridge construction and careers in civil engineering.

The 13 pupils and two teachers were greeted by Community Liaison Officer, Angela Newlands and Site Administrator, Isobel MacLeod, whose son, Ruraidh, is a former pupil of their school, and now works as a Civil Engineer.

After a presentation on the bridge design and site safety, the group gathered at a safe viewing area overlooking the newly installed beams and crane before heading back to the office for juice, biscuits and some Wills Bros goodie bags.

Wills Bros Civil Engineering are completing these works on behalf of The Highland Council.

Chair of The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: “I am delighted that local school children have had the opportunity to see this exciting project taking shape, and thanks go to contractors and our council staff for their work in welcoming the young visitors.

“This vital transport link is a major north coast project which demonstrates our commitment to improving the infrastructure in rural areas of Highland.”

Wills Bros Site Engineer, Hamza Chaudhary, said: “It was brilliant to have the pupils on site during such an exciting phase of the project.

"Seeing the bridge take shape while inspiring young people to think about engineering careers really brings home the impact of what we do, both for local communities and future generations.”

A big thank you goes to everyone involved in safely delivering this complex phase of works.