Delight as bridge is re-opened
Storm-damaged structure back after a year
The new Bleaton Hallet bridge was opened last Friday, nearly a year after it was badly damaged in storms.
The bridge abutments were washed away in Storm Frank late last year and the bridge fell into the gorge below.
The road, which provides an important link between Alyth and the A93 Glenshee road, has been closed ever since, resulting in an 18-mile detour for some local residents.
Perth and Kinross Council partners Tayside Contracts removed the damaged bridge deck from the gorge using a crane earlier this year and contractors Morgan Sindall have designed and built a new abutment and concrete deck to replace the previous steel structure.
Other work that has been carried out as part of the £1million project includes the reconstruction of the east abutment, the landing of large steel beams and concrete deck units, the installation of the bridge parapets and improvements to drainage.
Perth and Kinross Council’s enterprise and infrastructure committee convener, Councillor John Kellas, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tayside Contracts for carrying out their pivotal role of removing the deck of the old bridge from the gorge in such a timely fashion.
“My thanks also go to our contractors for their efforts in not only providing a higher specification bridge on the same timescale but also for their proactive approach in ensuring that disruption to local residents was kept to a minimum by allowing them the use of their temporary site pedestrian bridge as well as facilitating the supply of bottled gas to those residents affected by the lack of vehicular access.
“Finally, I would like to thank the bridge users for their patience while these works were being carried out.”
Local resident Richard Dickson added: “Perth and Kinross Council engineers did all they could to help alleviate our difficulties and understood the problems the collapsed bridge had created for our community.
“We are so impressed with the design of our new bridge as well as the total professionalism with which the way the project has proceeded, not least the people working on this project who have always been cheerful and helpful in so many ways - way beyond what one would have expected - helping to carry shopping and re-cycling matter from one car to another, wonderful communication skills in keeping us informed, and asking us of our access requirements on a daily basis, ensuring minimal disruption.
“Without such support to ease our burdens over the past 11 months our lives would have been so very much more difficult. This is a very welcome opportunity to say thank you to all of you.”
Councillor Caroline Shiers also welcomed the re-opening of the bridge, commenting: “I am sure the residents and businesses who rely on the Bleaton Hallet bridge every day are delighted to see it finally re-opened.
“I first heard news of the damage caused by Storm Frank on social media and went up to Bleaton Hallet and met residents on January 2 and the damage caused in the storm was huge.
“The following Friday I visited the site again with senior officers of the council and from then on the speed with which the council came forward with a commitment to replace the bridge and ensure the money was in place to do that was rapid.
“I would like to thank the contractors and council officers for all their efforts in ensuring this important project has been delivered on such a tight site.”
Impressed with the design of our new bridge