The Department for Infrastructure Has Confirmed That a Scheme to
Repair the Damage to the Kilrea Bridge Will Commence on Monday 10
November.
The Bridge Has Been Closed in the Interests of Public Safety
Since 20 September Following an Inspection Which Identified
Extensive Cracking on the Retaining Wall Located at the
South-west End of the Bridge.
A Spokesperson for the Department for Infrastructure Said: Since
the Closure of the Kilrea Bridge the Department Has Carried out a
Ground Investigation, Developed a Technical Solution and Tendered
for a Specialist Contractor to Allow the Road to Reopen.
We Are Pleased to Confirm That a Specialist Contractor Has Now
Been Appointed and Work to Repair the Damage Will Commence on
Monday 10 November. This Will Be a Week Scheme, Which Is Longer
than Originally Anticipated, Due to the Difficult Ground
Conditions on Site.
The Solution Requires Specialist Equipment to Drill Between the
Two Approach Walls Beneath the Existing Road Surface. Tie-bars
Will Then Be Inserted into These Drilled Holes to Structurally
Connect the Retaining Walls on Either Side of the Road. The
Contractor Has Advised That the Presence of Large Boulders Will
Make It More Difficult for the Drilling Operation. As a Result,
It Will Take Longer to Drill, and the Installation of Each
Tie-bar Will Be More Time-consuming.
The Lead-in Period Before the Works Start Next Week Will Allow
Time for the Contractor to Carry out Pre-site Checks and Prepare
Equipment and Ensure All Health and Safety Procedures Are in
Place and Agreed with the Department.
We Are Continuing to Engage with the Contractor to Explore
Options to Reduce the Timescale. We Will Keep the Local
Communities up to Date on the Timeline Throughout the Works.
We Fully Appreciate the Impact of the Ongoing Closure and the
Understandable Frustration of the Local Community, Including
Businesses in the Area and We Thank Them for Their Patience While
We Work to Deliver a Safe and Effective Solution. We Want
to Reassure the Public That We Are Working at Speed to Strengthen
the Road and Will Continue to Explore Every Opportunity to
Accelerate Progress and Minimise Disruption.”
The Department Will Continue to Provide Updates on the Repair
Works on Our Website At: Https://www.Infrastructure-ni.Gov.Uk/articles/kilrea-bridge-b64-bann-road-kilrea-closure
