A £1.3 million project to protect the foundations of the Cromarty Bridge from being worn away by the sea has been launched.
The scheme involves the installation of rock armour around six of its pier foundations.
During the three-month programme, 9,000 tonnes of rock will be placed around them using an excavator on top of a barge anchored to the seabed.
Bear Scotland, which is carrying out the work on the crossing north of Inverness, expects the project to take around three months to complete, and believe it will protect the structure from tidal erosion for years to come.
As the majority of the project will take place underneath the bridge, delays to traffic are expected to be minimal, however some off-peak traffic management will be required on occasion to allow the safe delivery of materials to the site.
A temporary speed restriction of 30mph will be enforced at the northern end of the bridge to help protect the workforce at the site compound, which is located at the layby.
Eddie Ross, Bear Scotland’s north-west representative, said: “This new £1.3m scour protection project will ensure that the Cromarty Bridge remains protected from tidal erosion for years to come.
“We’ve developed the project so that it generates as little disruption as possible to road users, with the majority of the repairs being carried out from underneath the bridge using an excavator and barge.
“Our teams will do all they can to complete the project as quickly and safely as possible, and we do encourage all road users to plan their journeys in advance.”
