Kessock Bridge set to get a new lick of paint
A TRIAL to determine the most effective method to carry out essential protective painting works to the Kessock Bridge is set to take place this week.
The results will allow specialist teams to determine the best strategy for carrying out future protective painting measures, ensuring the bridge remains protected for years to come.
The work will involve erecting specialist covered scaffolding beneath the bridge deck which will allow teams to safely access parts of the structure.
The covered scaffolding also enables teams to safely remove the old coating on the bridge, clean components and re-paint the structure while ensuring the bridge remains protected from the elements.
The trial is set to begin below the southern end of the bridge, above Stadium Road, on Tuesday and is expected to take up to four months to complete.
The A9 will be unaffected by the project, however the east footpath on the bridge will be closed throughout the works with a diversion in place via the west footpath.
Temporary traffic lights will be in place during some off-peak times in Stadium Road and will be removed wherever possible to keep disruption to a minimum.
Eddie Ross, of Bear Scotland which manages and maintains trunk roads, said: "This painting trial will allow our teams to understand access, cleaning and application challenges of the process.
"The results will provide a valuable insight into the best options for painting the whole bridge over the coming years.
"We’ve arranged the works to have no impact to traffic on the A9 over Kessock Bridge, and we’ve made sure that a suitable diversion for footway users is in place across the west-side of the bridge during the project. The traffic management on Stadium Road beneath the bridge will only be used during off-peak, intermittent periods to ensure safe access to the site when required.
"Our teams will do all they can to complete the project as quickly and safely as possible and we encourage road users to plan their journeys in advance."
