At last Bridge finally open again after 23 months of repair work
AMAJOR upgrade of a bridge over the M5 has been completed and it has reopened to motorists and pedestrians.
The 50-year-old Staverton road bridge, which is on the B4634 and carries traffic over the motorway between junctions 10 and 11, was in need of refurbishment to ensure drivers have safe and reliable journeys for years to come.
National Highways’ £3 million refurbishment scheme involved complex repairs, including concrete and steelwork renewal, replacement waterproofing, fencing and resurfacing.
Throughout the 23-month programme of work, the bridge was fully closed for safety reasons.
Mark Fox, National Highways’ interim south west head of scheme delivery, said: “This has been a particularly challenging piece of refurbishment, with several issues that we could not foresee.
“The team have worked tirelessly to reopen this bridge as quickly as possible and we apologise for any delays and frustrations this has caused.
“We appreciate that roadworks can be frustrating, and we made every effort to ensure the impact on the local community was kept to an absolute minimum, and we’d like to thank motorists for their patience while this vital improvement scheme was carried out.”
The scheme was delayed by 10 months after excessive steel corrosion was discovered and due to new renewal requirements to meet current safety standards.
Mr Fox added: “We encountered a number of unforeseen issues and we’re keen to learn from and take away lessons, including improved engagement with the local community and more intrusive surveys prior to work commencing to ensure we are aware of any potential issues.”
Further south on the M5, a similar refurbishment of the Brookfield Road bridge, near Churchdown, by National Highways is well underway.
The work involves removing and reconstructing the edge beams, parapets and safety barriers, concrete and steelwork repairs and the removal and replacement of bridge bearings and joints on the 50-year-old structure. The scheme is due to be completed before Christmas.
In March, and on schedule, National Highways also completed a major 18-month upgrade of the two bridges supporting the M5 junction 11 Golden Valley gyratory, between Cheltenham and Gloucester, and the company is also set to invest in the refurbishment of the Bamfurlong Bridge over the M5 during the autumn.