Ness Bridge six week road closure: Dates and direction of traffic announced

Roadworks are planned for the Ness Bridge in Inverness, from Monday April 17 for six weeks.

During the works the road over the bridge, below Inverness Castle, will be reduced to one-way traffic.

A diversion will be available via the A82 Friar’s Bridge.

The B861 Ness Bridge will be temporarily reduced to single carriageway with just two lanes remaining open.

At least one footway will remain open.

When is it taking place?

The works begin on Monday April 17 and are expected to last for up to six weeks.

The scheduled completion date is expected to be no later than Friday May 26.

The works will only be focused on the bridge. All surrounding roads will remain open as usual.

The direction of traffic on the bridge will change more than once during the works.

When the eastbound carriageway is closed, traffic will not be able to enter the city centre via Ness Bridge and will need to divert via the A82 Friar’s Bridge.

When the westbound carriageway is closed, traffic will not be able to exit the city centre via Ness Bridge and will need to divert via A82 Friar’s bridge.

Monday April 17 to Saturday April 22: westbound from the city open

Sunday April 23 to Tuesday May 16: eastbound to the city open

Wednesday May 17 to Friday May 26: westbound from the city open

At least one footway on the bridge will remain open at all times for pedestrian access.

Pedestrians may need to use the crossings at the ends of the bridge to access the open footway.

Bus routes that use the B861 Ness Bridge may be affected.

A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “Following careful consideration and in a change to previously advised measures, a temporary one-way system is now required to allow space for investigations.

“The aim of the amendment to the measures is to ensure the least overall disruption and allow the works to be finished in the shortest timescale.

“Signs will be in operation to divert traffic over the A82 Friar’s Bridge.”

Events

Works will stop to allow the Loch Ness Etape on Sunday April 23 and Cancer Research UK event on Sunday May 14. There will still be disruption to traffic on these days because of these events.

She continued: “These are essential works which are required to allow a structural investigation of Ness Bridge.

“The public should be reassured that the bridge is safe to use, and the investigation is required because the bridge contains post-tensioning.

“Post-tensioning can contain hidden defects that can only be detected by intrusive investigation.”