Bridge maintenance to start on A249 Queenborough Viaduct in Kent
A ten day maintenance scheme on the Queenborough Viaduct on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent will begin on Tuesday 26 August.
The improvement work to the viaduct, along the A249 Brielle way in Queenborough, will maintain safe and reliable journeys for road users.
It will require the A249 to be closed for 24 hours a day for 10 days, in both directions, between the A250 Queenborough junction and the B2007 Whiteways roundabout. Clearly signed diversions will be in place.
The work will involve replacing joints, which have been in place for more than 30 years, and installing new, more robust joints, which will lessen the need for future maintenance work. These joints allow structures to adapt to changes in weather. While this work is in progress white lines will also be repainted and trees and shrubs next to the viaduct will be cleared. The work is being carried out as part of the Government’s commitment to maintaining infrastructure.
Bala Vishnubala, Highways Agency Structures Manager said:
The repairs will ensure the viaduct is able to continue to carry the thousands of vehicles that use it every day and that journeys remain safe and reliable. By replacing the joints with new more robust versions, further maintenance work, and any disruption, is reduced.
To be carried out safely, the work will require the closure of the A249 in both directions for 24 hours a day for ten consecutive days from 9.30am on Tuesday 26 August. The road is due to reopen in both directions by 9.30am on Thursday 4 September. The northbound carriageway will be diverted along the A250. The southbound carriageway will be diverted along Whiteway Road, North Road, Rushenden Road and Thomsett Way, Queenborough.
Road users who are planning to use the A249 at Queenborough are advised to plan ahead and leave extra time for their journeys. Live traffic information is available on the Highways Agency’s website and mobile app, and drivers can also listen to traffic bulletins on local radio for updates.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways Agency press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.