Highways on work at A14 Orwell Bridge near Ipswich designed to ensure long term safety

National Highways will carry out seven weeks of repair works on the A14 Orwell Bridge (Image: Lucy Taylor)

Work that is being carried out over seven weeks on the Orwell Bridge will "ensure long term safety", National Highways said.

The work is due to begin in June, with a start date yet to be announced, and is expected to be completed in August. 

A contraflow system will be set out so that two joints can be replaced on the westbound side of the bridge. 

It will see traffic sharing the eastbound carriageway, with one lane to use in each direction. 

There will be a few full bridge closures, but these will take place overnight when roads are less busy, and National Highways is planning to keep them to a minimum. 

This is because the current joints were installed in 1998 and are reaching the end of their life, and now need to be replaced with new ones to keep the bridge functioning for many more years.

Martin Fellows, National Highways regional director for the East, said:“ Safety is always our top priority, and so this maintenance work is vital in helping to ensure the long-term safe operation of the bridge. 

“We understand the impact that any reduction in capacity on the Orwell Bridge can have on those who rely on this iconic and important piece of road infrastructure.  

“The new joints are designed to last for 50 years, and completing this work now will help avoid the prospect of future closures being needed at short notice. 

“A range of options to carry out these essential works were considered. We have worked closely with Suffolk County Council, the police and many stakeholders and have agreed that using a contraflow system during the roadworks was the least disruptive for road users, local communities, businesses and others who depend on the bridge on a daily basis.” 

“We fully understand the impact these essential works will have on the town, the surrounding county and beyond. We are setting out details of the work now, so people and businesses can plan ahead.” 

A contraflow system will allow the road to be kept open in both directions, but also allows engineers to carry out the works as quickly as possible. 

Engineers will need to carefully extract the old bridge joints, as each of them weighs 7.5 tonnes, so it’s a delicate operation that requires sustained working and access to the structure. 

While the focus is currently on the westbound joints, a plan is also being made to replace two eastbound joints soon. 

Bridge joints are crucial components in bridge construction that allow for movement and expansion of the bridge structure due to various factors like temperature changes, shrinkage, and traffic loads.  

They essentially provide a flexible connection between bridge sections, preventing damage and ensuring continued operation. 

This comes after a routine inspection of the A14 bridge south of Ipswich last September highlighted that one of the westbound joints was in a "potentially unsafe condition". 

The westbound carriageway was then closed for a temporary fix, which caused issues across Ipswich and gridlocked traffic. 

The bridge reopened fully on September 19 and has been the topic of calls for an taskforce.