Kessock Bridge Refurbishment (various projects)
Inverness, Scotland, UK · Ongoing (e.g., 2013-2014 maintenance platforms, 2025-2026 tower strengthening and painting) · £5.1m (for structural assessment of gantry rails); overall refurbishment cost not explicitly stated but significant.
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchInstallation of new access platforms during a major refurbishment to improve maintenance access. - Highly complex works requiring precision installation to strengthen the bridge. - Continuous maintenance and improvement plans to ensure the long-term resilience of the bridge.
Key engineering challenges
Additional bridge tower strengthening works. - Replacement of two existing maintenance gantries. - Painting works requiring full containment. - Welding carried out within confined pylons, presenting technical and safety challenges. - Structural assessment of existing maintenance gantry rails to ensure adequate strength.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Transport Scotland
- Lead contractor
- Spencer Bridge Engineering (gantry replacement, tower strengthening), Millar Callaghan (maintenance platforms)
- Lead designers
- Spencer's in-house designers (for gantry replacement)
- Project type
- refurbishment | upgrade
- Scale
- Cable-stayed bridge; 1,052 m (3,451 ft) total length; 240 m (790 ft) main span (from Wikipedia for original bridge)
- Disciplines
- Civil; Structural; Materials; Geotechnical
- Standards & frameworks
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Sources: BEAR Scotland: https://www.bearscot.com/update-on-improvement-plans-for-kessock-bridge/ - Traffic Scotland: https://www.traffic.gov.scot/travel-news/projects-and-events/a9-kessock-bridge-update-improvement-plans - CaSE Civil and Structural Engineering: https://www.case.international/projects/kessock-bridge-rail-assessment/ - Spencer Group: https://thespencergroup.co.uk/spencer-bridge-engineering-appointed-for-trio-of-landmark-scottish-projects/ - Millar Callaghan: https://millarcallaghan.co.uk/project/kessock-bridge-maintenance-platforms/ - LinkedIn (Spencer Bridge Engineering): https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/spencer-bridge-engineering-nears-halfway-kessock-zhrhe - Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessock_Bridge