Major works to stabilise a section of the Duver Road, St Helens – a popular beauty spot on the Island – have been completed on time, enabling the road to be reopened ahead of the Easter holidays.
The work, which has taken four months to complete, involved a specialist geotechnical scheme to strengthen the section of road in the vicinity of the bridge following the substantial deterioration, over time, of the piling beneath the bridge.
The work involved the installation of 39 bored concrete piles eleven metres deep into the ground to provide greater long-term stability and filling the void beneath the road with a strong, concrete-based material to further support the bridge deck.
During the project, the footpath alongside the bridge was also rebuilt and a new post and rail timber fence installed to improve the safety and appearance of the road, which runs alongside National Trust land. Works were also undertaken to improve the drainage and culvert arrangements at the bottom of the road.
The scheme, one of 18 geotechnical projects being completed by Island Roads as part of the PFI contract, was completed during the winter months to limit the impact of the works on holiday and local traffic. Surfacing work, was also brought forward to help limit future disruption for local residents and businesses.
Island Roads Construction Manager, Keith Gourlay said: “We are extremely grateful to the local residents and businesses for being so patient with us during these works and to the owners of Nodes Point Holiday Park for enabling us to use the road through their site as a diversion route, without which work of this scale would simply not have been possible.
“Now that the scheme has been completed, we hope that this route will be available for residents, visitors and local businesses for many years to come.”
Councillor Phil Jordan, Executive member for the PFI said: “We are delighted with the work that Island Roads has carried out at the Duver Road, St Helens and the fact that this has been delivered on time and with care taken to manage and coordinate local traffic throughout the works. We look forward to similar such schemes being undertaken in partnership with the authority across the Island throughout the life of the PFI contract.”
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