One of the world’s largest construction companies, Skanska, will build one of the longest timber bridges after securing a US $39.2m contract to build a 400-metre suspension bridge over the Skellefte River in Sweden.
The design of the Karlgårdsbron bridge, set to become Sweden’s longest suspension bridge, comprises wooden trusses, cross beams, and steel hangers, with the bridge deck made of a cross-tensioned wooden slab divided into a total of ten spans.
Wood Central understands that the new deal—inked on Tuesday—is an extension of the current agreement between the parties. It covers planning and calculation and includes the production phase of the bridge.
Construction will commence immediately and be completed by November 2027 – and comes weeks after Skansa sold its stake in BoKlok, a joint venture it operated with IKEA that saw it build 14,000 low-cost timber-framed houses in Sweden, Finland, Norway and the United Kingdom.
Last month, Wood Central reported that timber bridges have enjoyed a revival over the past 25 years. Better connectors and the ease and speed of off-site construction make timber-based bridges a compelling alternative to precast concrete.
