Stunning new BAM bridge in Glasgow features 3D printed staircase

BAM engineers have applied the finishing touches to a landmark new active travel bridge in Glasgow which will connect over 800 new homes in the Sighthill area to the city center. The access staircase to the eye-catching new BAM bridge in Glasgow, over Scotland’s busiest motorway, which opened to pedestrians and cyclists in March, was built using concrete 3D printing technology.

“The project has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible within construction, using cutting-edge digital techniques and collaboration from everyone involved. We are proud to leave a sustainable legacy that will benefit the North of Glasgow for years to come,” said BAM Contracts Manager Ian Steele.

The bridge is part of a £250m regeneration of the north Glasgow neighborhood and is the biggest regeneration project in the country outside of London. The main span of the new structure was installed during a 14-hour closure of the M8 motorway in the summer of 2021 with the 2420-tonne structure pirouetted into place by BAM and specialists, Mammoet.

The bridge benefitted from state-of-the-art technology as BAM became the first construction contractor in Scotland to make use of 3D concrete printing to create the staircase which will provide access on the south side of the new structure. The stair is the largest 3D printed concrete construction in the UK to date. Once fully installed the new steps were clad in granite, creating an attractive, long-lasting, slip-free finish.

Steele added: “We’re so pleased to see the bridge open to the public. It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work from our construction team, Glasgow City Council and our subcontractor partners. I’m absolutely delighted with the look of the new structure – the views across Glasgow are fantastic and the structure itself looks glorious now that the landscaping is complete.

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of the Glasgow City Region City Deal, also commented: “The ongoing regeneration of Sighthill is one of the biggest projects of its kind on these islands – and the completion of this remarkable bridge is a real landmark in that journey.  It signals the reconnection of Sighthill with not only the city center but also neighboring communities in North Glasgow.”