Kincardine Bridge: Demolition of viaduct forms part of £16m road repairs

Tender documents were issued today for a contract with an estimated value of £16 million.

The Kincardine Bridge is made up of multiple connected spans, including a piled viaduct at the southern end, which was assessed by civil engineers in 1984 as substandard in design.

Since then, the viaduct has been closely monitored, and a steel propping system was installed in 1992 to provide interim structural support.

A tender competition is now under way to appoint a contractor to demolish the southern piled viaduct and replace it with a completely new reinforced concrete structure.

Construction is expected to take between 18 months and two years, following the conclusion of the tender process later this year.

Disruption to road users will be minimised during the project by diverting traffic along a temporary two-lane bridge, to be constructed alongside the old viaduct. This temporary bridge will also provide access for pedestrians.

Short-term lane closures and full bridge closures will still be required for specific construction activities, however these will be limited and timed to minimise disruption.

Chris Tracey, BEAR Scotland’s south east unit bridges manager, said: “The replacement of the southern piled viaduct will help to ensure the Kincardine Bridge’s long-term availability for service as a key trunk route.

“Our priorities for the project are to maintain the structural integrity of the bridge, to ensure the new viaduct is in keeping with the rest of the structure, to keep the trunk road open during construction, and to mitigate the impact on the surrounding environment.

“Traffic modelling suggests that by maintaining two-way traffic during construction, no significant delays will occur at peak times under normal circumstances, although some lane closures and limited full closures will be required.

“The detail of the programme will be confirmed later this year after the contractor is appointed.”

Mr Tracey added: “We are committed to keeping road users and local communities fully informed as the project progresses.”

The bridge was constructed between 1932 and 1936.

It was completed nearly 30 years before the Forth Road Bridge.