Crossing will be built alongside bridges by Telford and Stephenson

Knight Architects and Aecom have been appointed to design the third bridge across the Menai Strait between mainland Wales and Anglesey.

They are part of a team awarded a Welsh Government contract to undertake the key stage 2 appraisal of options to identify and develop initial designs for a new crossing, with a view to identifying a preferred route. 

Work on the project will start immediately.

The crossing will alleviate traffic congestion on the existing two bridges, the Menai Bridge, built by Thomas Telford in the 1820s and Robert Stephenson’s 1850 Britannia Bridge which is the only section of the A55 to the port of Holyhead that is not dual carriageway.

Bridge specialist Knight Architects was crowned BD’s Infrastructure Architect of the Year at the 2017 AYAs.

Director Martin Knight said: “This is a significant and truly exciting opportunity to create an attractive and functional new crossing of the Menai Strait.

“With Snowdonia as the backdrop and world-famous bridges from engineering giants Telford and Stephenson as neighbours, the third Menai crossing must be a harmonious addition to an extraordinary landscape, providing a valuable new link for the local communities and north Wales.”

The team also includes environmental consultancy Richards, Moorehead & Laing.