Fivehead River Footbridge Refurbishment

Tender description

This pre-construction information is for the refurbishment of a footbridge over the Fivehead River near Isle Abbotts in South Somerset. The footbridge connects public footpaths L 11/2, in the Parish of Fivehead, with public footpath L 14/7, in the Parish of Isle Abbotts. The bridge is constructed of 2 main steel beams, steel diagonal cross bracing and steel angular upright parapet supports. The bridge is clad in softwood timber including 2 bearers along the main beams, deck boards and two handrails attached to both parapet uprights. The bridge sits on concrete pads above old stone abutments. The structure is held in place by poured concrete over the main beams. The steels are painted black. The age of the bridge is unknown. The paint work on the bridge is deteriorating rapidly resulting in surface rust on all the steel elements of the bridge. In addition the softwood timber cladding is suffering from rot and vegetation has grown across the old abutments causing mortar and stone loss. Works include breaking out the steels from the concrete pads, stripping and disposing of the timber elements, preparing and galvanising the steel work, removing vegetation, repointing and replacing stone in the old abutments, forming new concrete bank seats with steps, installing gates at each end of the bridge and fixing the bridge back into place. Keywords: Bridges