The concrete repairs currently taking place on the 18th century Tadcaster Bridge are progressing well, according to North Yorkshire County Council, although the route the bridge is on is expected to still be closed until the beginning of 2017.
The historic bridge was severely damaged during the floods at Christmas, with a temporary footbridge now in place to allow people to cross the river and keep both sides of the town connected, the Yorkshire Post reports.
In March, over 50 tonnes of underwater concrete was poured into the fourth pier of the bridge after a scour hole was discovered in the river bed. This means that more reconstruction work can now be carried out.
Don Mackenzie, executive member for highways with the council, said investigations have been ongoing to work out just why the damage happened so they can ensure it doesn’t happen again.
“Although residents may have seen little activity in the past couple of months, work is progressing well on putting in place all the measures necessary before the physical repairs can begin,” he added.
Similarly, the Dee Bridge at Banchory in Aberdeenshire has also been undergoing bridge repairs in order to fill in scour damage on the piers that support the bridge’s arches.
Bridge scour is the removal of sediment like rocks and sand from piers or bridge abutments, caused by fast-moving water that creates scour holes. This can compromise the integrity of the bridge or pier in question and is one of the leading causes of bridge failure. It can be prevented by additions such as gabions or stone pitching, as well as guide banks and spurs to align the upstream flow.