19 December 2011
Repair work on a busy road bridge on the A20 near Folkestone in Kent has been completed this weekend.
Since 6am yesterday (Sunday 18 December), drivers have been able to use two full-width lanes again in both directions, and the 70mph speed limit has been restored.
There have been temporary restrictions on the Roundhill Viaduct since May, when two sets of expansion joints – important components that help the structure expand and contract with seasonal changes in temperature – both failed unexpectedly. Work on a permanent repair began in November.
Highways Agency project leader Arvind Ranpuria said:
“Completing this work in time for Christmas is good news for motorists. The A20 is a vital route to and from the Port of Dover, and we have worked hard to keep delays to a minimum throughout the project. I’d like to thank the 30,000 drivers who use the A20 every day for their patience while we replaced these important parts.”
The new joints, which weigh nearly 5 tonnes each and go one metre deep into the road surface, were lifted into place overnight by crane and then cemented in place using a series of overnight carriageway closures. Each night temporary plates over the joints were removed and replaced, to allow two lanes of traffic to remain open during peak times.
Detailed inspection of the failed joints after they were removed confirmed initial assessments that the premature failure was caused by the sheer weight of traffic and the high proportion of HGV traffic on the A20.
The new joints, which were precision engineered especially for the viaduct, have been manufactured to a different design, already being successfully used elsewhere on the motorway network, and have a design life of 30 years.
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