VIDEO 2012 London Olympic's Central Park footbridge lifted into place

New time lapse video footage from the 2012 Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) shows the Central Park footbridge, a key bridge in the centre of the Olympic Park, being lifted into place.

The footbridge spans the River Lea between the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre, and features permanent and temporary elements to integrate Games and legacy use.

A design competition was held for the bridge in the early stages of the project, allowing it to become a key piece of architecture in the Olympic Park.

The permanent legacy structure features two footbridges linked by a central blade-like walkway, creating a 'Z' shape to the bridge that spans either side of Carpenters Lock, an historic 1930's structure on the River Lea.

During the Games a temporary deck will be placed between the permanent spans of the bridge to increase the width, allowing it to carry an increased spectator numbers.

The temporary Games-time bridge deck will be surfaced with a recycled rubber material featuring the colours of the five Olympic rings.

The first structural steel elements of the Central Park bridge - an 8 m-wide southern span, weighing about 50 tonnes and a 6 m-wide northern span, weighing about 45 tonnes - have now been lifted into place.

Work to lift in the central blade-like walkway will take place later this year and the structural elements of the bridge will then be clad with mirror-finished stainless steel designed to reflect the sunlight off the water in the River Lea.

The Central Park bridge was designed by Dublin-based Heneghan Peng Architects, with Adams Kara Taylor Engineers. It is being built by Belfast-based Lagan Construction.

Work started in March 2009 and is due to be completed by the end of 2010.