Bridge may close for a year for maintenance

THE next step in the process to reconfigure the Silver Jubilee Bridge (SJB) is in the pipeline.

Approval is being sought from Halton Borough Council’s executive board to proceed to project order stage with changing Halton’s existing river crossing.

The changes are due to be made after the new Mersey Gateway opens, due later this year.

A report prepared for councillors said the SJB was given Grade Two listed status in 1988 and is the largest local authority maintained structure in the country.

It said: “Due to its age the SJB complex requires a continual programme of works to maintain it in a steady state condition, and hence be fully available for use.

“Effectively when the new bridge opens, the SJB will temporarily close.”

Planned work includes repainting the bridge’s steel arch and reconfiguring the carriageway to one lane in each direction for motorised vehicles.

There will be a dedicated cycleway within the existing SJB carriageway and ‘splitter islands’ will separate it from the motor vehicle lanes, with the surface also to be renewed.

The report said £600,000 is being provided by the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board for the SJB reconfiguration scheme.

It added: “The period for the closure of SJB to accommodate both its reconfiguration and the major works for repainting likely to be 12 months.”

Both the repainting and deck reconfiguration are planned to take place in summer 2018.

The executive board has been recommended to use framework from Scape – a public sectorowned built environment specialist – to develop the SJB’s carriageway reconfiguration scheme to ‘project order’ stage.

The item will be discussed at a meeting today. is