A new £1.3M maintenance project on the A9 Cromarty Bridge is underway which will ensure the bridge remains protected against scour for years to come.
The project involves the installation of rock armour around six of the bridge’s pier foundations, that are located within the tidal estuary. Around 9,000 tonnes of rock will be installed around the piers using an excavator on top of a barge anchored to the seabed, offering protection from tidal erosion and ensure the bridge remains safe for years to come.
The programme of scour protection works is expected to take around three months to complete.
As the majority of the project will take place underneath the bridge, delays to traffic are expected to be minimal, however some off-peak traffic management will be required on occasion to allow for the safe delivery of materials to the site.
A temporary speed restriction of 30mph will be enforced at the northern end of the bridge during the project to help protect the workforce at the site compound, which is located at the layby to the north of the bridge.
The works will be closely supervised by BEAR Scotland’s Environmental team to ensure that the works do not impact on the bird, mammal and fish species that are associated with the estuary.
Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: “This new £1.3M scour protection project will ensure that the Cromarty Bridge remains protected from tidal erosion for years to come.
“We’ve developed the project so that it generates as little disruption as possible to road users, with the majority of the repairs being carried out from underneath the bridge using an excavator and barge.
“Our teams will do all they can to complete the project as quickly and safely as possible, and we do encourage all road users to plan their journeys in advance by checking Traffic Scotland for the latest journey information.”
Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org or twitter @trafficscotland.
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