The Kingsmead Viaduct (or ''Kings Meads Viaduct'' is a raised

dual-carriageway A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...

viaduct A viaduct is a specific type of bridge that consists of a series of arches, piers or columns supporting a long elevated railway or road. Typically a viaduct connects two points of roughly equal elevation, allowing direct overpass across a wide va ...

of the

A10 road This is a list of roads designated A10. Roads entries are sorted in the countries alphabetical order. * A010 road (Argentina), a road in the northeast of Chubut Province * ''A10 road (Australia)'' may refer to : ** ''A10 highway (South Australia ...

on the eastern outskirts of

Ware Ware may refer to: People * Ware (surname) * William of Ware (), English Franciscan theologian Places Canada * Fort Ware, British Columbia United Kingdom *Ware, Devon *Ware, Hertfordshire * Ware, Kent United States * Ware, Elmore County, A ...

, Hertfordshire, England. It carries the A10 over the River Lea, the New River and the

Hertford East branch line The Hertford East branch line is a railway line in Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, running between Hertford East and . The line follows the route of the Lea Valley, serving intermediate towns and villages. It branches off the West Angli ...

. The road was originally constructed as a trunk route by the

Highways Agency National Highways, formerly the Highways Agency and later Highways England, is a State-owned enterprise, government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving Roads in England, motorways and major A roads in England. It al ...

as the second part of a two-phase improvement of the A10 between Ware and

Cheshunt Cheshunt ( ) is a town in Hertfordshire, England, north of London on the River Lea and Lee Navigation. It contains a section of the Lee Valley Park, including much of the River Lee Country Park. To the north lies Broxbourne and Wormley, Waltha ...

. On 29 September 2006 the road was de-trunked, and the viaduct is now the responsibility of

Hertfordshire County Council Hertfordshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Hertfordshire, in England, the United Kingdom. After the 2021 election, it consists of 78 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Part ...

Major works

The expansion joints were replaced by the Highways Agency in July 2005. Improvements to the bridge parapets to bring them up to modern standards were carried out by Hertfordshire Council from July to September 2008.

Location

The bridge spans the

Lea Valley The Lea Valley, the valley of the River Lea, has been used as a transport corridor, a source of sand and gravel, an industrial area, a water supply for London, and a recreational area. The London 2012 Summer Olympics were based in Stratford, ...

, crossing the River Lea, the New River and the A119 road between the

Rush Green Rush Green may refer to: * Rush Green, London * Rush Green, Essex *Rush Green, East Hertfordshire Rush Green is a hamlet on the outskirts of Hertford , Hertfordshire. The Roman road Ermine Street passed through Rush Green.http://www.hertfordhe ...

Interchange near

Hertford Hertford ( ) is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. The parish had a population of 26,783 at the 2011 census. The town grew around a ford on the River Lea ...

and the Westmill interchange (north-west of

). Also running along the valley floor is the

Hertford East Branch Line The Hertford East branch line is a railway line in Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, running between Hertford East and . The line follows the route of the Lea Valley, serving intermediate towns and villages. It branches off the West Angli ...

, which the viaduct crosses between

and the Hertford East terminus. The viaduct crosses the

King's Meads King's Meads is a nature reserve between the towns of Hertford and Ware in Hertfordshire. It is managed by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, and with an area of 96 hectares it is the largest of the Trust's reserves. The site has been registe ...

Nature Reserve.

References

{{reflist Bridges in Hertfordshire Transport in Hertfordshire Bridges completed in 1976 Box girder bridges Viaducts in England 1976 establishments in England