Post by Humberside on Oct 27, 2015 17:43:45 GMT
Some good news, if all goes to plan
www.northlincs.gov.uk/your-council/about-your-council/news/latest-news/update-on-a18-melton-ross-road-works/
The council will start essential work to prop up the railway bridge over the A18 Melton Ross in mid-January 2016, which should be completed by end of March 2016 – making the bridge safe to be fully open to traffic.
Currently temporary traffic lights, a reduction in speed limit and a weight limit are in place to restrict the amount of traffic going over the bridge. A one-day closure will be required throughout the works next year when propping up the bridge.
Restrictions were implemented following a routine inspection of the bridge around two years ago when it was found that there were some structural problems that meant the bridge wasn’t strong enough to hold the traffic it had been able to before.
To ensure the safety of drivers using this bridge, it was essential to put restrictions in place.
The propping up of the bridge is only a temporary solution to the problem until a full replacement bridge is constructed and put in place.
The council has had to work alongside Network Rail to coordinate the works, as the bridge runs over one of their rail lines. This has caused a delay because of permission being given for January next year rather than the first plan of October 2015.
Cllr Neil Poole, cabinet member for Neighbourhoods at North Lincolnshire Council, said:
“We apologise for the length of time traffic restrictions have been in place at the A18 Melton Ross Bridge. It was definitely not anticipated that it would take this long, but unfortunately it was taken out of our hands. We have done all we can to push things along, but getting permissions from Network Rail to carry out the work has held things up. A date has now been set for January though, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
“Once the propping up work has been carried out, we can reopen the bridge fully to all traffic. We will then look at designing and constructing a new bridge that will be a long-term solution to the problem, once funding has been secured. We won’t have to put traffic restrictions in place for this work, as the bridge will be installed next to the existing one.”
Currently temporary traffic lights, a reduction in speed limit and a weight limit are in place to restrict the amount of traffic going over the bridge. A one-day closure will be required throughout the works next year when propping up the bridge.
Restrictions were implemented following a routine inspection of the bridge around two years ago when it was found that there were some structural problems that meant the bridge wasn’t strong enough to hold the traffic it had been able to before.
To ensure the safety of drivers using this bridge, it was essential to put restrictions in place.
The propping up of the bridge is only a temporary solution to the problem until a full replacement bridge is constructed and put in place.
The council has had to work alongside Network Rail to coordinate the works, as the bridge runs over one of their rail lines. This has caused a delay because of permission being given for January next year rather than the first plan of October 2015.
Cllr Neil Poole, cabinet member for Neighbourhoods at North Lincolnshire Council, said:
“We apologise for the length of time traffic restrictions have been in place at the A18 Melton Ross Bridge. It was definitely not anticipated that it would take this long, but unfortunately it was taken out of our hands. We have done all we can to push things along, but getting permissions from Network Rail to carry out the work has held things up. A date has now been set for January though, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
“Once the propping up work has been carried out, we can reopen the bridge fully to all traffic. We will then look at designing and constructing a new bridge that will be a long-term solution to the problem, once funding has been secured. We won’t have to put traffic restrictions in place for this work, as the bridge will be installed next to the existing one.”
www.northlincs.gov.uk/your-council/about-your-council/news/latest-news/update-on-a18-melton-ross-road-works/