A FURTHER £15 million is to be spent on a three-year maintenance programme for the Forth Road Bridge, it has emerged.
Bosses are preparing plans to replace the worn-out bearings that are vital to maintaining the structural integrity of the bridge. It will be the first time the bearings have been replaced since the iconic A-listed structure was built in 1964, and will involve lifting a section of the carriageway at each end.
In order to lift the carriageway, engineers will need to use a specialist industrial jack. And in order to get the jack in place, concrete supports will have to be added to the end of the piers in North and South Queensferry.
The work will result in some minor road closures, while the carriageway is lifted and lowered, but it is expected that, because the work is being done underneath the bridge, traffic will flow as normal for most of the procedure. The Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA), which is overseeing the work, also hopes to carry out most of the lifting and lowering work during off-peak times in the evening, to minimise disruption to drivers.
While it will be the first time that the bearings have been replaced, bosses were always aware it would need to be done. A similar project on the Tay Bridge has recently been completed.
A spokesman for FETA said: "A structure of this size needs to be able to expand and contract, to deal with extreme weather and changes in temperature. Without that ability it would just shatter, and the bearings are a vital part of that. All major bridges need to have their bearings replaced at some stage, so it is not a surprise that after 45 years the Forth Road Bridge should require this work.
"We will aim to keep disruption to a minimum, and while there will be some minor road closures, it is hoped the majority of our users will not be affected."
As well as replacing the bearings, the work will see the concrete elements of the bridge undergo minor repairs to damage caused by salt erosion. A cathodic prevention system, which runs an electric current through the concrete to prevent future erosion, will also be installed.
The cost of the work is likely to raise a few eyebrows, especially given the concern over funding for the new £2.3 billion Forth crossing that is set to replace the ageing structure. The Evening News revealed yesterday that both the finance and transport committees at Holyrood are set to investigate the price tag for the new bridge.
But Councillor Phil Wheeler, convener of the FETA board, said it was crucial that the work be carried out to safeguard the future of the existing bridge.
"Even with the new crossing being planned, it is vitally important that we carry out proper maintenance work on the Forth Road Bridge, not just because it is a historic and iconic structure but also because of public safety.
"This sort of work is, I believe, required on all major bridges at some point, and with this year marking the 45th anniversary of the Forth Road Bridge it seems a good time to renew these elements of the structure."
BOAT TOURS TO MAKE A SPLASHVISITORS to the Forth Road Bridge are to be offered special boat tours of the structure as part of the crossing's first Open Week.
The specially-chartered 30-minute boat trips will operate on Saturday, 31 October, departing every 45 minutes from Hawes Pier in South Queensferry. Discount vouchers will be available from an exhibition being staged at the bridge offices.
The exhibition will celebrate the history of the bridge and the work of the bridge authority, with multimedia contributions from consulting engineers and contractors working on the bridge.
The exhibition will be open to the public from noon until 7pm from 26-29 October, from 3pm until 7pm on 30 October, and from 9:30am until 4pm on Saturday, 31 October.
Forth Road Bridge convener Phil Wheeler said: "The bridge's first ever Open Week seems to have captured the public's imagination. We've already fully booked almost 300 guided tours."
• www.feta.gov.uk