An incredible multi-million pound mega-project has completely transformed a 200-year-old bridge in Wales and built a new road, making travelling in the area so much easier.

There were so many problems with the Pont-ar-Ddyfi bridge before the project was completed in February 2024.

The bridge was not designed to carry the volume of traffic it was doing at the time, and the road was often closed due to flooding, which meant that drivers had to take a diversion of up to 30 miles.

So, in spring 2021 work, the local authorities began working on the area with hopes of making a list of things easier for people, including their access to jobs, healthcare and education, to walk, cycle and wheel across the bridge and help prevent flooding.

They also wanted to make it easier to cross the River Dyfi, which sits under the Pont-ar-Ddyfi bridge, and make the A487 road safer, which is just south of the bridge and north of the town of Machynlleth. 

In the space of three years, a new 1.2km single-carriageway joining the existing A487 southeast of the Pont-ar-Ddyfi bridge was built along with a new road that crosses the River Dyfi.

So much work was put into the project, including the construction of a 2.5m wide path for those walking, cycling, and wheeling over the bridge.  

The construction work has only made it easier for people to access Machynlleth, even without having to worry about heavy rain and flooding, and to make sure that the area is protected from flooding – complete draining improvement works, and water pumping facilities were also part of the works that have now transformed the area for locals and visitors. 

The bridge opened on the morning of February 2 with a plaque unveiling by Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters.

He said: "This area suffers terribly from flooding. Huge disruptions and detours have become a way of life around here, so this bridge is going to make a real difference in people's lives.

"It also creates resilience to what is going to be an ever wilder and wetter climate. It's going to get worse than this, so it's good that we've got the infrastructure now in place to prepare us for that. A big thanks to the team who have done all the work here -it's been a tough job so thank you for your efforts."