Work finishes on £2 million, 14 month Peterborough parkway bridge repair project

Work commenced on the bridge on the A1139 Frank Perkins Parkway, which crosses the River Nene, on 4 December 2020.

The project, which cost approximately £2 million, continued the work that had been undertaken previously to six of the eight piers with work taking place from the opposite side of the river.

The bridge was constructed in 1984 by the Peterborough Development Corporation. The bearings (which transfer the load from the deck to the substructure and foundations) had deteriorated and were not performing as fully intended and would reduce the working life of the bridge if not replaced.

The project involved replacing the bearings on the two remaining piers, and strengthening the piers themselves, by encapsulating them in concrete.

To access the piers it was necessary to work from a platform constructed within the river, with the bridge deck raised slightly on a jack to enable the old bearings to be removed and then new ones inserted.

There was no impact on traffic during the works.

Cllr Peter Hiller, cabinet member for strategic planning and commercial strategy and investments at Peterborough City Council, said: “The replacement of the bearings at Nene Bridge has been a lengthy but necessary piece of work which will save us money in the long term.

“The expertise needed to complete this has been quite stunning to observe, and I would like to thank all those involved for their tireless efforts.”