Somerset County Council | Taunton, UK 2007 - 2011

Opened in autumn 2011, the new urban highway bridge across the River Tone in Taunton subtly reworks the twin arch form to minimise the mass of the bridge in sensitivity to its picturesque surroundings. Carrying two cycle tracks, two footpaths and the main road, its careful design reverses the visual standard: it has been conceived as a footbridge that also happens to carry a busy road.

This subtlety is achieved through carefully balanced proportions and slender edge detailing, both lending an elegant, quiet appearance. At night, lighting is provided by discrete low-level light sources illuminating the pedestrian walkways, whilst the arch is lit by low voltage uplighters that trace their curve.

The bridge is a key part of a major re-development of the surrounding areas of Taunton, in Somerset, and the first of three public sector bridge projects by Moxon Architects and structural engineers COWI at the site.