Highland Council yesterday announced the successful contractor awarded with the task of conducting the B9090 White Bridge Realignment as Dingwall based R J McLeod Contractors.
The project, worth in the region of £2.65million, is set to begin in late August with a completion date set for Autumn 2019.
Plans are expected to see a new 131ft steel girder and concrete crossing put in place, with the project also accommodating for earthworks, fencing, drainage and service diversions.
When the proposals were approved, the planning report said: “The development will help to safeguard an A-listed structure, the White Bridge, with the subsequent removal of traffic onto the new road. The new development will be set apart from the existing bridge which is to remain, with access restricted to pedestrians and cyclists.”
The crossing over the River Nairn, between Clephanton and Cawdor, currently has a weight limit of 18 tonnes, with the realignment works expected to deliver a new unrestricted bridge crossing upstream of the present masonry arch bridge.
The report added: “The existing restrictions on the bridge are of public concern and have raised strong feelings in the local community for investment on a replacement bridge.
“This will significantly benefit local businesses and communities in the surrounding area. People will be able to access the trunk road network effectively, making access to and from the city of Inverness and other local interest spots more efficient.”
The existing humpbacked bridge dates back to 1749 and is one of the oldest operated by the local authority. Made entirely from stone rubble, it is regularly used by both commuters and farmers.
