Repainting the bridge is essential maintenance, but disruption to traffic will be kept to a minimum.
Works to paint the A17 Cross Keys Swing Bridge at Sutton Bridge are now scheduled to begin at the end of this month.
A contractor has been appointed to the project and the programme of works has a start date of February 28.
It’s been nearly two decades since the bridge was last painted and during that time a combination of tidal salt water and high volumes of traffic have seen the existing paint deteriorate. Because of this the new painting programme is happening to continue protection of the structure’s steelwork.
The current programme of works is scheduled to run from 28 February to 1 July inclusive. Those dates are based on favourable weather conditions and longer daylight hours as the scheme progresses.
Every effort will be made to complete the scheme as efficiently as possible with the least amount of disruption to the local area, residents and traffic.
The bridge itself has to remain operational for shipping movements and the river Nene is a major route for this sort of transport. Most of the works at road level will cause the use of temporary traffic lights with an advisory diversion route in place.
There will also be some overnight road closures. These will happen when particularly difficult areas of the bridge are being painted – such as the ends of the bridge itself.
Because public holidays fall within the proposed works programme we will, on those days, remove traffic management and open the road fully to further reduce the amount of disruption to those using the route.
Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “These works are essential for the continued life and usefulness of the bridge.
“We are working extremely hard to minimise the amount of disruption that road users will face over the coming months and have liaised with other authorities to ensure that the work we carry out will not be impacted further by works in their areas.
“I would like to thank everyone who travels across the bridge, or in the immediate area, for their continued patience whilst these works are carried out.”