MAINTENANCE work to a historic bridge in Leicester’s Waterside area will take place from next week.
Leicester City Council will carry out repairs and renovation work to the Soar Lane river bridge from Monday 19 January.
The bridge, which provides an important link for pedestrians and cyclists between the Waterside regeneration area and nearby Rally Park and nearby schools, is recognised as a local heritage asset.
Work to repair and restore the bridge will involve replacing sections of the bridge’s worn parapets, applying a new waterproofing system to the bridge deck and reconstructing the cobbled surface of the carriageway.
Footpaths will also be resurfaced, and the decorative steelwork repainted.
Work is expected to take around three months to complete. Access will be maintained for pedestrians and cyclists for the duration of the work.
The bridge is not used by general traffic, so there will be no impact on motorists.
Leicester City Council’s director of highways Martin Fletcher said: “Wear and tear mean the condition of this historic bridge is such that repair work is now required, and the bridge will need to close for a few weeks while that is carried out.
“This essential work will restore an important part of our local transport heritage and ensure this well-used bridge remains safe for many years to come.”
Work is expected to cost around £400,000 and will be funded by the Government’s Local Transport Fund.
The Soar Lane river bridge was constructed in the late 1870s and originally provided connections to the Soar Lane Flour Mills, which were located on the island between the parallel watercourses of the River Soar and Grand Union Canal.