Skip to content

Name of city's new footbridge confirmed

Sunderland City Council Councillor Kevin Johnston, councillor Lindsey Leonard and councillor Michael Mordey, hold a red sign reading Keel Crossing at the new footbridge. They are wearing orange protective clothing and white helmets. The grey concrete structure is still under construction. There are more new building on its other side, including the City Hall. Keel Square is also visible in the distance.Sunderland City Council
There had been hundreds of name suggestions for the footbridge, the council said

A city's new footbridge has been officially named after thousands took part in a public vote.

Sunderland's latest landmark will be called the Keel Crossing, connecting Keel Square with the Sheepfolds and the Stadium of Light.

Council leader Michael Mordey said he was looking forward to the "spectacle" of the structure turning into "a sea of red-and-white shirts" on matchdays.

"It will be a real sight to behold," he said.

The £31m footbridge is due to open in the summer.

It measures 32ft (10m) wide and spans 853ft (260m), at a height of 98ft (30m) above the river.

Mordey said the local authority had received hundreds of name suggestions for the new structure.

Voting opened in May, with Wear Crossing and Beacon Bridge the other contenders.

Mordey said Keel Crossing - named after the structural backbone of a ship - honoured the city's shipbuilding history but also its future.

Sunderland City Council An aerial view of the footbridge. It is a long white structure crossing the River Wear and connecting Keel Square to the Stadium of Light, with cranes next to it on both shores. Wearmouth Bridge and the North Sea are also visible in the distance.Sunderland City Council
Keel Crossing will link Keel Square with the Sheepfolds and the Stadium of Light

The structure is one of several high-profile developments currently under construction as part of the Riverside Sunderland scheme, including Culture House and the new eye hospital.

Mordey said the footbridge was a "central pillar" of the project and would make the Stadium of Light and Sheepfolds more accessible.

"I think I speak for every fan when I say I can't wait to see the spectacle of the Keel Crossing being transformed into a sea of red-and-white shirts and scarfs come matchdays," he added.

Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.

More stories from BBC North East and Cumbria
Related internet links