Final preparations are underway for £4 million of repairs to start on Queen’s Park Bridge by Heywood company, BDB Special Projects Ltd.
The company was appointed late last year, following a competitive tendering process, and work to repair the 131 metre structure on Queen’s Park Road will start on Monday.
The bridge is 91 years old and in need of repair to ensure it can continue to serve residents and motorists for decades to come.
Vital repairs will be carried out on the concrete underneath the bridge, which runs over the River Roch, and the parapets will be replaced. The road on the bridge will also be resurfaced.
Concrete barriers which separate the pavement from the road, will be replaced with new kerbs which will be less obtrusive and place less weight onto the bridge, while still offering protection for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
Restoration
The project, which is expected to take around 12 months to complete, will also involve the restoration of ornate steel lighting columns, which were removed after falling into a state of disrepair.
They will be recreated by specialists in their original green and gold colours, before being reinstated on the bridge.
The bridge will remain open to traffic throughout the work, but it will be operating on lights, so motorists are advised to leave extra time for their journeys.
Occasional full closures will take place, with the first of these due to take place overnight on Monday when the bridge will be closed between 8pm and 6am, with a fully signed diversion route in place.
Ben Dobson, director at BDB Special Projects Limited, said: “We’re aware that these changes will cause some disruption, but it’s a very old structure and these repairs are vital if the bridge is to continue operating well into the future. We’ve letter dropped residents and businesses in the area, as well as the schools along Queen’s Park Road, and regular updates will be communicated as the works progress.
“Although we work all over the country, it’s particularly satisfying to deliver this project on our doorstep in an area we know so well. Many of our staff live in the Heywood area and we also intend to use local companies for the supply of materials, equipment and sub-contractors where possible.”
