THE first phase to replace part of a bridge as part of four-month-long works is underway.
White Hart Bridge in Poole Street, Great Yeldham, closed to the public on September 5.
Essex Highways said the structure is generally in poor condition with corrosion and steel delaminating in areas, with attention also required to its brickwork and parapets.
The bridge deck is in a weakened condition and needs replacing, with the new deck being made of a reinforced concrete slab which makes use of the existing steel trough as permanent formwork.
Proposed works include the installation of a new bridge deck and upgraded bridge parapets and edge beams.
Additional safety barriers will be installed on the bridge approaches, with improvements also made to the footpath.
The vehicle restraint systems and the parapets across the bridge will be upgraded to meet current standards and a safety barrier will be introduced on all four corners of the structure.
Phase one of the works details construction of the bridge deck on the east side of the bridge.
As part of this phase, the pedestrian footpath and eastern lane of the carriageway will be closed.
A signed pedestrian diversion is provided through the adjacent land and traffic is diverted across the west side of the structure using temporary traffic lights.
Work on the bridge deck improvement has begun as part of phase one, with Essex Highways providing an update on the progress.
A spokesman said: “The concrete fill has been removed on the east side and the installation of temporary carriageway support is in progress.
“A temporary pedestrian path is also in place.”
Following this, phase two details construction of the bridge deck on the west side of the bridge.
Throughout this, traffic will be diverted across the east side of the structure using temporary traffic lights. Pedestrians will continue to be diverted via the signed diversion route.
Lastly is phase three, which sees reinstatement works to the footpath and VRS installation of parapets and safety barriers.
This will include a lane closure with temporary traffic lights and pedestrian diversion in place.
Work is expected to take appropriately four months to complete.
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