Project Details

Description

BEAR Scotland has been commissioned by Transport Scotland to carry out deck refurbishment works on the A68 Galadean Bridge. The works will consist of a number of activities on the bridge deck including asphaltic plug joint replacement, waterproofing replacement, concrete repairs on deck, reinstatement of the footpath and service ducts including kerbing, service rerouting, drainage improvements, and resurfacing and road marking reinstatement. The works will be approximately 50m in length with an area of approximately 0.1ha.

Construction activities for the works are as follows:

  • Set up traffic management (TM) and mark out site.
  • Milling of carriageway surfacing down to deck level, removing kerb units and excavation of footways.
  • Undertake hydro-demolition, where required, to assist with concrete break-out.
  • Carry out concrete repairs on deck with proprietary repair mortar.
  • Install new spray-applied waterproofing membrane to bridge deck, overlapping it onto existing waterproofing.
  • Reinstate footways, services and install new kerbs.
  • Lay carriageway surfacing.
  • Remove TM and open lane.
  • Repeat on the other lane.

The works are programmed to be completed within the 2025/2026 financial year with works currently expected to commence at the end of September 2025. Works are programmed to be completed over approximately thirty nights (19:30 – 06:00). Traffic management (TM) will involve alternating lane closures with temporary traffic lights. Full road closures will be utilised if and when required. If a full road closure is required, southbound traffic will be diverted onto the A697 at Carfraemill Roundabout, then onto the A6089 at Whiteburn, then the A6105 at Gordon, and finally returning to the A68 at Earlston. Northbound traffic will follow the inverse route.

Location

The works are located on the A68 Galadean bridge structure, which spans the Leader Water, a tributary of the River Tweed, approximately 4.5km north of the village of Earlston within the Scottish Borders (Figure 1.). The National Grid Reference (NGR) of the bridge structure is NT 55860 42895.