Essential maintenance works continue at Freebridge, King's Lynn

Added: 11/11/2008
Category: Norfolk County Council

Important maintenance works to renew bridge supports at Freebridge, Wisbech Road, King's Lynn are well advanced and entering their final phase.

Work began to replace bearings which support the deck in the summer when a routine inspection identified that the condition of the old bearings had worsened significantly, meaning that urgent replacements were needed to keep the bridge safely open to traffic.

The bearings are needed to allow for expansion and contraction of the steel beams which support the deck on the concrete columns beneath. Most of the work is therefore underneath the bridge and hidden from view of road users.

To replace the bearings, of which there are 50 in total, the deck has to be temporarily supported on hydraulic jacks while the old bearings are removed and the new inserted. To reduce and control traffic loading, and to provide safe means of access for labour, materials and plant, it is necessary to keep traffic to a single lane by using traffic lights.

The works are due to be completed by Friday 19 December. To allow for increasing numbers of shoppers heading to the town in the lead up to Christmas and help with the flow of traffic, since 28 October the traffic lights have been controlled manually during peak times and normal working hours, Monday to Saturday, and this will continue until the end of the work. The traffic lights will also be manually controlled during the evening of 21 November for the switch on of the town's Christmas lights. This is also helping reduce the effects of roadworks currently underway on the A47 southern bypass.

The works, which will cost around £550,000, are being carried out by Norfolk County Council's construction partner, May Gurney with specialist subcontractor Freyssinet supplying and installing the bearings.

Norfolk County Council apologises for any inconvenience caused while this work takes place.