Trafalgar Bridge has lifespan extended

At nearly 100 years old, the Trafalgar Bridge has lasted surprisingly well for a concrete structure, which should be coming to the end of its serviceable life. But after some maintenance, which is due to start on Sunday 6 October 2019, the life of the bridge is expected to be extended at least another 30 years.

A detailed assessment of the bridge structure and condition of the concrete was done in May 2019. Although there was a reasonable amount of concrete carbonation, which happens naturally over time, the report concluded that the bridge had a long life ahead of it if the concrete was well looked after and kept dry, particularly the deck.

Maintenance work scheduled to be carried out on the bridge includes replacing the road surface, improving drainage, and repairing and waterproofing the concrete deck. This will result in the bridge being closed from Sunday 6 October until 18 October 2019 to all vehicles. A detour will be in place for all vehicles. Pedestrian access will be possible from Monday 7 October for the duration of the closure. 

“Concrete structures have a finite lifespan, and those made a century ago would be expected to be close to the end of their serviceable life by now. The good news is that the Trafalgar Bridge was constructed very well and has been looked after – which means that with a bit of maintenance work we can keep it in good condition and up to the job for at least the next 30 years,” says Infrastructure Group Manager, Alec Louverdis.

“Improvements in road surfacing and concrete waterproofing technology will allow us to keep this iconic Nelson landmark part of our daily lives for many years to come”.

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