Traffic queued the length of the Cromarty Bridge yesterday on the first day of a £1.5million repair project which will last half a year.
Drivers experienced delays as the roadworks got underway at the south end of the bridge, which is on the A9 Wick to Inverness route.
Traffic lights will be continuously in place on the route – part of the A9 Inverness-Wick road – for the next six months and are being manually controlled at peak periods.
Early yesterday afternoon, southbound traffic queued the length of the bridge which resulted in drivers waiting more than one light change sequence before getting through.
And a specialist lorry carrying a wide load lengthened journey times as it passed through at very slow speed at about lunchtime.
The works involve concrete repairs to the bridge deck and supports, as well as protection measures to prevent future deterioration, while the bridge deck will also be waterproofed and resurfaced.
The project, announced in December last year, will be undertaken over six months, and follows on from a previous phase of refurbishment work to the first four spans of the bridge carried out in 2011.
Bear Scotland representatives have met Highland Council officials, the emergency services, Cromarty Firth Port Authority and the Road Haulage Association to inform them of the planned upgrades.
Eddie Ross, Bear’s north-west representative, said the project will ensure the bridge “continues to withstand the harsh natural environment” and ensure it remains in safe working condition in the future.
Mr Ross also ensured that they “have taken on board the lessons learned from the previous refurbishment works in 2011” to make sure the work is done as quickly and effectively as possible.
One example he cited is making sure the works take place after major events like the Black Isle Show and Belladrum festival.
