A new landmark gateway was today installed close to Altrincham Interchange.
The lacquered steel totem, which is four metres high, was erected on the newly paved crossing by the Altrincham Clock Tower.
Two smaller bollards have also been installed on either side of Stamford New Road parallel to the totem.
It forms the final piece in the jigsaw of phase one of the public realm improvement works, and was designed by Altrincham practice Planit-IE and created by Chris Brammall.
Planit-IE said the totem, which features the words ‘Altrincham market town’ and the year of its establishment, 1290, is intended to announce a “visitor’s arrival at the town and welcome local residents home”.
It is also meant to complement both the clock tower and the street furniture introduced during the first phase of the public realm improvement works.
The lettering on both the totem and the bollards light up at night.
Lindsay Humblet, the partner in charge of the project at Planit-IE, said the gateway markers were intended to “define a sense of place” while also defining the entry into the town.
He said they had the dual purpose of acting as a traffic calming measure, “squeezing” the road to slow vehicles on entry into the town.
“It’s also about seeing towns as places for people, not just places for cars.”
Humblet said the new markers complied with all highway requirements.
