AN update has been issued by North East Lincolnshire Council to advise people of the vital need for road and bridge works in two key areas of Grimsby.
It further stresses that without the works being done now, and the completion of a project planned in the next year, the two affected areas would face far more disruption in the future, with possible full closure. This is because the bridges along those roads need urgent and serious maintenance to prevent them deteriorating further – becoming structurally unsound.
The affected roads are Corporation Road with the on-going bridge repairs and various sections of the A180 coming immediately into and out of Grimsby. The A180 works are just temporary and will be finished by 10pm next Tuesday – 21st November. Two of the three areas of work are already complete.
The Council is fully aware that any road or highway works cause disruption and does of course apologise for any inconvenience the current situation is causing.
However, there is extremely good reason for these works taking place at this time and we do ask that people do, if they can, avoid peak times or look for alternative routes.
Corporation Road Bridge. (work underway is pictured above) As has been reported by the authority numerous times, this is a Grade II Listed structure of great historical importance. We have a statutory duty to ensure it remains in complete working order with its lifting mechanism operational. Its importance was recognised by the DfT (Department for Transport), which awarded a grant of £3million to help support the essential repairs that are now happening.
As with any such project, work does not start and happen overnight and that is certainly the case with historic structures – the work is time-consuming and complex as is its planning.
It should be highlighted too, that without this work taking place the road, of which the bridge is part, could have faced part or complete closure if, in future years, Corporation Road Bridge was declared unsafe – certainly for heavy vehicles.
We are very pleased to say that, once finished, the bridge will be fully restored – preserving this heritage structure for generations to come and providing a safe passage for all vehicles.
The A180 current works. The purpose of the work is two-fold, the first part being to carry out vital maintenance work ahead of winter. This includes drain surveying and clearance, as well as maintenance of the grass and hedges and electrical testing of the lighting.
Whilst again we apologise for the disruption, we are sure that motorists and, in fact, all residents will appreciate the need to ensure we mitigate the dangers of driving along this road during the winter as much as we can. Ensuring the lighting is working properly, the drains are clear, and grass and hedges are cut back to maximise visibility will enable that.
As the above work was essential it was decided, to save two similar closures, that survey work would also take place on the three A180 bridges and safety barriers to help plan for the major repair works next year to those structures. These are the Gilbey Road and Cleethorpe Road flyovers and the Alexandra Dock bridge.
During the closures and in the evenings, engineers are completing surveys and undertaking intrusive inspections of the bridges. These are key and will inform on the designs of the vital structural repair work, which has been previously reported and is planned in 2024 to ensure this main road into Grimsby and Cleethorpes can safely carry traffic in the decades ahead.
The project, one of the most important of its kind along the A180, is again being supported by £8million of funding from the DfT. This was secured by North East Lincolnshire Council due to the importance of the road for the borough’s economic and visitor growth in the future.
Cllr Stewart Swinburn, Cabinet member for Highways, said: “We know these works have been disruptive and we are pleased to say they are coming to end on Tuesday evening. However, the pre-winter maintenance was essential – as was the need to plan for next year’s project.
“The A180 bridges are critical elements of our highway system in North East Lincolnshire. If these fail, there would be significant impacts, both economically in terms of the amount of trade that use the route, but also for local people going about normal life.
“If we don’t do the repairs soon, the structures will only get worse, meaning larger scale repairs, and potentially complete closure of the route in the future.”
The main A180 bridges project is programmed to start on site in the Spring, essential due to the time limits on the grant funding and the fact that the work is now becoming vital to avoid more problems with these bridges.
A reminder that the A180 timetable for the current works are on track, with only one part left to complete by Tuesday:
- 12 November at 11.59pm to 14 November at 10pm Gilbey Road flyover;
- 14 November at 11.59pm to 16 November at 10pm Alexandra Dock Bridge;
- 19 November at 11.59pm to 21 November at 10pm Cleethorpe Road flyover.
Share this article