DATE FOR THE DIARY: Alness B817 High Street closure plan flagged by Highland Council ahead of temporary repair to corroded Averon footbridge in Easter Ross
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TEMPORARY repairs to a badly corroded Easter Ross footbridge will result in the overnight closure of a key road in Alness.
Highland Council plans to close the B817 High Street, Alness, for one night on Monday, August 15 to enable repairs to the Averon footbridge.
The road will be closed from 8pm on Monday, August 15 to 5am the following morning at the bridge over the River Averon.
During the closure there will be no access for traffic.
Traffic will be diverted via the A9.
RELATED: Alness footbridge closed over safety fears
A walkway will remain open on the road bridge for pedestrians. It may be necessary to temporarily close the walkway for up to 15 minutes at a time to allow for work to be safely carried out.
The road closure is required to allow temporary repairs to be carried out to the Averon footbridge, which is currently closed after being found to be dangerously corroded.
During the overnight closure, a contractor employed by the council will install a temporary prop to support the footbridge.
When complete, the footbridge will reopen and the temporary traffic lights presently on the road bridge will be removed.
Following installation of the temporary prop, a more permanent solution will need to be developed by the council for the footbridge.
A "range of options" will be considered from minimum repairs through to complete replacement. It is hoped the permanent repairs will be done in 2023 "but at this stage it is not possible to confirm the timescale or what the final solution will be".
Anyone with queries about the planned closure can phone Highland Council on 01349 886601.
