Urgent work to start on Teign Estuary Viaduct

Vital maintenance work on Devon’s largest bridge, the Teign Estuary Viaduct, is due to start next month, and will take six months to complete.

The 40 year old bridge, which carries the A380 dual carriageway over the River Teign Estuary, needs urgent repairs to a failed expansion joint, at the north end of the viaduct.

Previous temporary repairs to the joint, which stretches across north and southbound lanes, have until now allowed traffic to keep flowing, but a permanent repair is necessary to keep the lanes open.

In addition, the 10,000 square metre bridge deck needs a new waterproofing system, so South West Highways Ltd, appointed by Devon County Council, will carry out the repairs at the same time.

The Council aims to have both projects, totalling £3 million, completed in late December, coinciding with the opening of the South Devon Link Road.

The work, scheduled to start on Monday 1 June, involves removing the road surface, installing a new waterproof layer and making improvements to the drainage system before the road can be resurfaced.

In order to do the work, contractors will need to close one lane at a time. Two lanes southbound will be maintained throughout the works by use of a contraflow system.

A speed restriction of 30mph will be in place to safeguard the workforce and to cater for the narrow lanes.

Temporary full road closures will be required to install traffic management, and later into the project for resurfacing work. These closures will be restricted to night time wherever possible.

Warning signs will be in place in good time to give motorists advance notice of the traffic restrictions.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for highway maintenance, said:

“We’ve previously carried out temporary repairs to the expansion joint in order to keep traffic over the viaduct moving, but we can no longer delay making the permanent repairs.

“We’re bringing forward installation of the new waterproof layer, to carry out all of the work at the same time. This will protect the viaduct’s structure for many more years to come, and will mean less inconvenience to motorists in the long run.

“The work, being done on our behalf by South West Highways, is unconnected to the delivery of the South Devon Link Road, by contractors Galliford Try.

“We apologise for the inconvenience that the work on the viaduct may cause motorists, but it is essential maintenance that must be done at this time.”

Any communication relating to the Teign Estuary Viaduct should be made to Lee Meaden, Project Engineer at lee.meaden@devon.gov.uk or telephone 01392 383408.

- See more at: https://www.devonnewscentre.info/urgent-highway-work-to-start-on-teign-e...