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Keel Crossing [opened 18.10.25] - compendium thread

halfpast3 said:
As in finally all done and dusted and the people building it can make a start on it. Seems like youre blaming them for lack of progress but seems like they are on track as far as I can see.
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I’m not blaming anyone - I simply started commenting that it’s odd that there isn’t a fixed, public completion date yet and that, since the bridge went up more than a year ago, it doesn’t seem like there’s any urgency to reach actual completion.

It would have been nice if it had been open sooner for the football, the rugby and the summer.

I’ve then had a bit of pile-on with some posters being not very nice and telling me that everything’s fantastic and to not question the council or the project.
 

PhilY said:
You’ve quoted some of my posts and dismissed them as “Just unsubstantiated, Sunderland corruption Facebook comment page -esque , nonsense”

My questions around why it seemed to me that the project was taking longer than expected/necessary has been substantiated by the architect’s programme which said that the project would be complete in 2024. I shared that on this thread a few posts up and you’ve made no comment on it.

It wasn’t completed then and I’m simply trying to understand why.

Do you agree that the programme included a 2024 completion date?

Do you agree that we are now in the tenth month of 2025?

Do you agree that the project is, therefore, late?

Strange that the architects programme was 2022 to 2024 then.

What do you mean by ‘signed off’?
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Quite simply, it takes as long as it takes mate. Infrastructure projects are set up in a way that milestones are managed and completion dates of individual tasks, not the overall completion date. The contract should be structured in a way that incentives meeting milestones, but disincentives rushed or poor quality work.

If there's a genuine reason for a milestone looking unachievable, the principal contractor will raise an early warning and we'll negotiate a new date. If they're taking the piss, I can demand they meet it at their cost, claw some money back from them, and/ put them at notice of breach of contract. 99% of times it's the former, and I just slide the programme dates.
 
cosmicchris00 said:
Having worked in programme management for 25 years I can state that the current status of the bridge has all the markings of a commercial wrangle

When project progress effectively stops, as this one seemingly has, the cause is usually a gone bust or walk-off scenario by one of the contractors.

I had a look when dropping the young 'un off at that their University and its looking like the surfacing contract completion is all that's really holding it up. With all the materials at hand it looked like less than a weeks work - possible 2 or 3 days.

If I was the client on such high profile piece of infrastructure I'd tell the principal to get it open and talk afterwards.
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The confidence man. Hilarious
 
Sgt Pepper said:
What is this based on? Every time I pass or see photos such as the ones @RestlessNatives often posts, there are workers, wagons, Cherry pickers or a mix of them on it. I doubt they’re on there being paid to do nowt.
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I don't live round Sunderland anymore so you're much better placed than I am.

I spoke with the security at Sheepfolds end who advised that the project appeared to have slowed to the point of a virtual stop.

As I said, there appeared to be less than a weeks work on a construction site of this type IMHO. Are the cherry pickers currently on the underside or are they working on lighting of some sort?

I'm up there again this afternoon so will take another look.
dancingradio said:
The confidence man. Hilarious
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And you are saying what there bub?
 
cosmicchris00 said:
I don't live round Sunderland anymore so you're much better placed than I am.

I spoke with the security at Sheepfolds end who advised that the project appeared to have slowed to the point of a virtual stop.

As I said, there appeared to be less than a weeks work on a construction site of this type IMHO. Are the cherry pickers currently on the underside or are they working on lighting of some sort?

I'm up there again this afternoon so will take another look.

And you are saying what there bub?
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I already posted the link with the work they are doing . Try reading and researching before speaking with such confidence. Cutting edge stuff predicting commercial wrangles at the closing period of a major project. As you well know no subbie is stopping works at this stage over any commercial issues unless they never want to work for the council again. Im sure the principal never thought of telling them to get on with it and sorting the commercials at the end 🙄
 
cosmicchris00 said:
I don't live round Sunderland anymore so you're much better placed than I am.

I spoke with the security at Sheepfolds end who advised that the project appeared to have slowed to the point of a virtual stop.

As I said, there appeared to be less than a weeks work on a construction site of this type IMHO. Are the cherry pickers currently on the underside or are they working on lighting of some sort?

I'm up there again this afternoon so will take another look.

And you are saying what there bub?
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With the greatest of respect to them I highly doubt the bouncers at Sheepfolds have expert knowledge about complex civil engineering projects. Not sure what the Cherry pickers were doing tbh, it was a recent ish photo Restless Natives posted from his drone. But the fact they were there and had people on site means something was happening.
 
Sgt Pepper said:
With the greatest of respect to them I highly doubt the bouncers at Sheepfolds have expert knowledge about complex civil engineering projects. Not sure what the Cherry pickers were doing tbh, it was a recent ish photo Restless Natives posted from his drone. But the fact they were there and had people on site means something was happening.
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For context the cherry pickers were the past two Sundays and very early in the morning (pre 7am) so they are definitely putting the hours in to get the job done.
 
If I remember rightly funding took ages to secure and enable the project to get started, at one stage it looked like funding had completely stopped from the government.

When the actual project got started it seems everything has been done on schedule.

When people say it should have been ready for Football season, the council can't control when money was finalized and then to get the tender process.

Would rather wait a couple of months and to have it done right
 
PhilY said:
It could have been a few different things but, fair enough. Worth remembering that outline planning permission was granted in 2021.
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That date doesnt matter really, just a wish date and is approximate. Many amendments could have been made, this extra fancy lighting, 5G. upgrades, who knows mate.
cosmicchris00 said:
I spoke with the security at Sheepfolds end who advised that the project appeared to have slowed to the point of a virtual stop.
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Waiting for materials was the reason. Security would nt know this.
RestlessNatives said:
For context the cherry pickers were the past two Sundays and very early in the morning (pre 7am) so they are definitely putting the hours in to get the job done.
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I can confirm that, I was nearby at those times.
 
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Brett said:
If I remember rightly funding took ages to secure and enable the project to get started, at one stage it looked like funding had completely stopped from the government.

When the actual project got started it seems everything has been done on schedule.

When people say it should have been ready for Football season, the council can't control when money was finalized and then to get the tender process.

Would rather wait a couple of months and to have it done right
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Yes the design was altered and value engineered loads of times. Managing to get this bridge funded in current times of economic stagnation is fantastic and I still cant believe we have this amazing new facility about to open truly making our stadium integrated with the city centre
 
dancingradio said:
I already posted the link with the work they are doing . Try reading and researching before speaking with such confidence. Cutting edge stuff predicting commercial wrangles at the closing period of a major project. As you well know no subbie is stopping works at this stage over any commercial issues unless they never want to work for the council again. Im sure the principal never thought of telling them to get on with it and sorting the commercials at the end 🙄
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244 pages of compendium thread marra.

Are you expecting people to read it all?

Be a sweetey and post this oracle-like link you speak of
Sgt Pepper said:
With the greatest of respect to them I highly doubt the bouncers at Sheepfolds have expert knowledge about complex civil engineering projects. Not sure what the Cherry pickers were doing tbh, it was a recent ish photo Restless Natives posted from his drone. But the fact they were there and had people on site means something was happening.
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Its 1 year late and still scrabbling around for a few paving flags is never a good look.

There'll have been some fascinating to and fro over the course of the project
 
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cosmicchris00 said:
244 pages of compendium thread marra.

Are you expecting people to read it all?

Be a sweetey and post this oracle-like link you speak of

Its 1 year late and still scrabbling around for a few paving flags is never a good look.

There'll have been some fascinating to and fro over the course of the project
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Just seen your signature 🤮
 
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