National Highways has closed a lane on the A14 Orwell bridge after discovering a bridge joint in a potentially unsafe condition.
The government-owned company announced on Friday afternoon that it would close a lane on the westbound carriageway from 9pm that evening until further notice.
The A14 is a major route to and from the port of Felixstowe and the bridge, which crosses the River Orwell to the south of Ipswich, also carries traffic using the A12 between London and Suffolk. The BBC reports that in 2022, about 60,000 vehicles crossed the bridge each day.
A spokesperson told Highways that during a routine inspection on Friday National Highways found one bridge joint ‘in a potentially unsafe condition’. The lane closure is in place ‘ahead of repairs’, but there is not a timescale for how long the works will take.
According to a National Highways webpage, the lane closure will be in place until a temporary joint cover plate can be installed.
One lane closed westbound on #Orwell Bridge #Ipswich from 9pm tonight til further notice. Following a routine inspection today, lane closure ahead of repairs. Please allow extra time for your journey. Thank you for your patience. pic.twitter.com/O1ZeRoGwoQ
— National Highways: East (@HighwaysEAST) September 6, 2024
The company’s spokesperson said: ‘We appreciate the impact this will have on the local community but taking this course of action is necessary to ensure all road users remain safe whilst travelling on our road networks. We will carry out all work overnight when traffic levels are at their lowest to cause the least possible disruption.
‘There is no diversion in place as lane two will still be in use, and we are asking people to please allow extra time to complete their journey.’
The bridge, which opened in 1982, was closed for four nights in May for structural surveys that National Highways said were needed to ensure it is safe.
In 2021, National Highways installed new electronic signs to allow lower speed limits so that the bridge can remain open more often during high winds.
