The Clyde bridge on Pettinain Road in Carstairs was closed in 2018 after a routine inspection found structural defects.
An initial tender process earlier this year came to a dead end due to spiralling costs. No one could match the council’s initial £3.8m estimate.
South Lanarkshire Council has now signed a deal with Eric Wright Civil Engineering for £7.4m, nearly double the initial estimate.
The contract involves the construction of a 90-metre single span steel bridge to replace the existing reinforced concrete bridge structure. The new structure includes a 4.2-metre wide carriageway with an additional footway. New approach roads to the north and south will tie into the existing Pettinain Road, as the new bridge will follow a different alignment.
The new bridge will be supported on reinforced concrete abutments with piled foundations. The structure will have wing walls that will not be connected to the abutment and will act as retaining walls.
.png)
Negotiations to acquire land need to build the new bridge have also added to delays to the start of work, the council has said.
Council leader Joe Fagan said: “I am delighted we can now look forward to a new Clyde Bridge being built, which will reinstate an important part of our road network and see the end of what is an inconvenient diversion for road users.
“It has been a particularly frustrating time for the local people who would use the bridge most frequently, and the council has shared their frustration.
“Changing market conditions and rising costs was undoubtedly a big factor in the unsuccessful conclusion of the most recent tender process, earlier this year. I think it shows our commitment to supporting our communities that the council has been able to get the project back on track.”
Work is expected to begin on the replacement bridge in early 2023 and could be completed in a year.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
