SCAFFOLDING and coverings from the 100-year old Corporation Road Bridge have started to be removed in recent weeks as work to sections of the bridge come to an end.
The scaffolding and encapsulation (white sheeting) have covered much of the bridge’s structure for over a year as much-needed work has been carried out to save the structure from deterioration.
But now some of the sheeting has started to be removed as renovations and repair work to some sections of the bridge are completed.
Why was the bridge covered over?
The sheeting was put in place to protect the river Freshney and Alexandra Dock from debris produced by the works. This was particularly vital when shot-blasting was carried out to remove paint and rust from the structure.
The debris caused by this work was captured by the sheeting, preventing it from polluting the water and surrounding area.
Encapsulation is quite common on structures that are undergoing refurbishment for this reason, and also protects the exposed structure from adverse weather.
This is a modern process, and is not something that would’ve been provided when the bridge was first built, but is vital for keeping workers safe, protecting the environment and reducing the impact of adverse weather on the progress of the work.
Which parts will be removed?
The bridge can be divided up into 6 ‘spans’. Span 1 is nearest to Victoria Street, Span4 is the lifting section and Span 6 is at the Alexandra Retail Park side.
Scaffolding to the completed North truss of spans 5 and 6 (above deck) has been removed.
Span 1 will also see scaffolding removed above and below deck. Further repairs are required to this section and can be carried out in the near future without encapsulation.
Why is this important?
The removal of scaffolding and encapsulation is an important milestone in the progress of the work to the bridge, but it is important to note that the work is not complete.
Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for environment and transport at North East Lincolnshire Council, explained:
“This is a significant milestone. For the first time in over a year, people will start to see sections of the structure. They will be able to see some of the completed, painted spans and that will give a flavour of what the rest of the bridge will look like when it is completed.
“However, there is still much work to do, as we explained earlier this month.
“We’re still looking at the lifting span and awaiting final design options, and there are still paint and steel work repairs to be carried out to spans 5 & 6 of the bridge, but this is good to see.”
Where can I see updates on the bridge works?
If you’d like regular updates on the work taking place to Corporation Road Bridge, visit: https://investnel.co.uk/corporation-bridge.
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