Historic bridge closed due to structural concerns

A centuries-old bridge in rural Northern Ireland has been closed due to concerns over ‘structural stability’, just three years after it was last shut down for major works.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said that the Kilrea bridge, which carries the B64 Bann Road over the River Bann near the village of Kilrea, had been closed in both directions since 20 September after the it found vertical and diagonal cracking on the retaining wall.

Originally built in 1783, the bridge was also previously closed in 2022 for five weeks to allow a £225,000 maintenance project to be carried out, which included works on the wingwalls as well as waterproofing to the bridge deck and parapet repairs.

According to the department, the listed bridge will remain closed ‘until such times as the retaining wall can be fully assessed, and repairs carried out’.

It is likely to remain closed for ‘several weeks’ as engineers arrange for a temporary solution to be implemented. Following this, the road is expected to be reopened to traffic whilst a more permanent repair is developed.

Image credit: JohnDMichael111 / Wikimedia Commons