Northern Spire is a winner again

Sunderland's Northern Spire bridge has won another major award.

The Spire was the Special 30th Anniversary Robert Stephenson Award Winner at the ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers) North East awards.

Stephenson awards recognise civil engineering excellence across the North East region. The Spire was entered into the special 30th anniversary award because it was a previous winner in 2018.

The landmark Spire with its 105m high (almost 350ft) central pylon, is no stranger to awards as in 2019 it was honoured as the Transport Project of the Year in the British Construction Industry Awards. It has also won awards from the Association of Project Management and the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transport, among others.

Since it opened in August 2018, the Spire has improved road transport links between the A19, Sunderland city centre, and the Port of Sunderland, and helped create new development opportunities.

Sunderland City Council's Executive Director of City Development, Peter McIntyre said: "We're all very proud of the Northern Spire as a functional symbol of regeneration in Sunderland. Wearsiders can take even more pride now in how the Spire has received further praise and plaudits from its professional engineering peers and the general public in the North East.

"Sunderland is a city with a river at its heart and, with its heritage of bridges, we have always had and continue to have a strong team of civil engineers who help maintain and shape our city's vital infrastructure.

"Alongside the construction and project partners, city engineers played a major role in developing the Northern Spire that is now a key part of Sunderland's infrastructure.

"That role is continuing as the engineering team alongside many others are helping shape Sunderland into a more dynamic, healthy and vibrant city for the 21st century."

In 2018, when the Northern Spire won a Robert Stephenson Award, the judges commented: "This project has captured the public interest both in the immediate area and nationally.

"The scale, complexity and design of this scheme has brought the industry of civil engineering, in many of its guises, to the public's attention, opening up a new area to investment and enhancing the lives of many now and in the future."

More details on the ICE awards are here