A year since a rush-hour crash that damaged Copdock bridge, Highways England has confirmed that the significant repair work has been completed.
A year since a rush-hour crash that damaged Copdock bridge, Highways England has confirmed that the significant repair work has been completed.
According to the Ipswich Star, on Friday 7 June 2019, a lorry overturned on the eastbound carriageway at Copdock interchange, before coming to rest partially overhanging the carriageway below, sending debris falling and hitting passing cars.
The incident brought traffic to a standstill, on a particularly busy night, as many people were on their way to the centre of Ipswich to see Rod Stewart in concert. Police closed the roundabout, and it was not reopened until the following Monday, once emergency repairs had been completed.
Highways England, who manage the road, confirmed the bridge has been “fully restored”.
They said that repairs to the bridge were carried out over three days in July 2019, including structural repair, work to repair the parapet, and the installation of a new approach barrier.
The removal of the temporary safety barrier – which was installed in the immediate aftermath of the crash – was completed on January 31 this year.
Petru-ionut Lungu was driving the meat lorry over the A14 at Copdock interchange and has since been banned from the road. He pleaded guilty, and received a six-month totting up driving ban and was fined £562.
Lungu was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £56.
The repairs were fully funded by Lungu’s insurance company, rather than the taxpayer.
In May this year, Highways England undertook resurfacing and expansion joint replacement work on the bridge. This was not carried out as part of the repairs due to the crash, but part of ongoing routine maintenance on the bridge structure to improve safety for drivers
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