There has been a flurry of activity throughout April as our workers have been busy completing ‘snagging’ tasks (such as paint touchups), cleaning, and smaller maintenance tasks on the north side of the bridge.
Most significantly, the team have completed the painting of the lower section of the chains. It wasn’t possible to install the painting pods used on higher points where the chains curve down to meet the bridge deck as these would have caused an obstruction to traffic, so the painting crew had to use a temporary Stop-Go traffic management system to bring mobile platforms into the road to apply the last coats of paint. Thank you to all drivers for your patience during this work!
On the footway, temporary mobile scaffolding was erected and used to finish painting the touch points which were inaccessible when the larger scaffolding and painting pods were fixed in place. Throughout this project – but particularly when using this type of equipment – wind monitoring is an important part of the daily site check, and the team ensure that conditions are appropriate before any work begins.
As works conclude on the north side, it is being made to look its best before the works switch to the south side and it reopens to the public. A full clean of the new paving has taken place, the longitudinal girders (seperating the footway and roadway) have been jetwashed, and the benches provided at the foot of each tower have now been refurbished, and are ready to be reinstalled.
We are now in the final phases of tests, checks, and adjustments, and getting ready for a Weekend Bridge Closure from 16th-19th May, during which time roped access will be used to install high-level lights around the bridge’s towers, more painting of the chains will take place from the carriageway, and further scaffolding will be erected. Please remeber that during this period the bridge will be closed to all road users and a diversion route will be signed using Bridge Valley Road, Brunel Way and A369 Rownham Hill.