Footbridges near two of the busiest roundabouts on the Kingsway in Dundee need “significant refurbishment” after showing signs of extensive deterioration.
Roads contractor Amey, which looks after the A90 on behalf of Transport Scotland, is seeking cost estimates for the refurbishment of the bridges near the Strathmartine Road and Old Glamis Road roundabouts.
Cracking and ‘spalling’ – the deterioration of steel reinforced concrete – of the piers have been identified in both structures.
In a notice published on the Public Contracts Scotland website, Amey details how the main span of each bridge is supported by two reinforced concrete piers at each end.
Both are accessible via stairs and ramps situated on both sides of the Kingsway dual carriageway.
The ramps consist of steel beams with reinforced concrete slabs and the stairs are made up of precast concrete slabs supported by two concrete piers.
Refurbishment options will be considered
As part of the refurbishment process, Amey is undertaking an optioneering study with Transport Scotland to determine the preferred strategy to tackle the issue.
And the contractor is asking for cost estimates for two refurbishment options which will then be considered.
A further tender process will be undertaken once the preferred option has been agreed with Transport Scotland.
Concerns over the safety of the footbridge near the Strathmartine roundabout were previously raised in 2019.
Councillor Mark Flynn, who at the time was depute convener of the local authority’s city development committee, called for the bridge to torn down and replaced with modern pedestrian crossings.
And in 2018, £500,000 of improvements were carried out to footpaths crossing the Kingsway, including at Strathmartine Road, to improve pedestrian safety.
This followed a number of incidents in which footbridges on the A90 were damaged by vehicles careering off the road.
A spokesperson for Amey said: “Structures assets across the entire Scottish trunk road network are inspected in accordance with best practice national standards on a routine basis.
“All structures require planned maintenance due to factors such as wear and tear and their continued exposure to the elements.
“As part of our ongoing maintenance programme across the northeast network, Amey, on behalf of Transport Scotland are exploring options to deliver an efficient repair and refurbishment strategy for the footbridges on the A90 Kingsway.
“This will ensure their continued safety in use for the local community for many years to come.”
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