Essential maintenance on the A9 Cromarty Bridge is set to continue through the spring, with BEAR Scotland announcing an extension to the project timeline.

Originally scheduled for completion by the end of February, persistent unsuitable weather conditions have hampered progress, shifting the anticipated finish date to Monday, 30 March.

The works, carried out on behalf of Transport Scotland, involve critical repairs across both lanes of the structure. To facilitate safe working conditions and protect the travelling public, a strict traffic management regime remains in place.

Traffic Management and Access

Temporary traffic lights will be operational between 7pm and 6am, Monday to Friday. During weekends, these lights will remain in use 24 hours a day to allow for intensive repair activities. A mandatory 30mph speed restriction is enforced at all times until the project concludes.

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BEAR Scotland has confirmed that traffic flows will be monitored in real-time, with manual control of the signal system during peak periods to mitigate congestion. While every effort is being made to restore normal traffic flow by 6am on Monday mornings, the contractor has advised that some weekend activities may occasionally overrun.

Key Provisions for Road Users:

• Emergency Services: Full access will be maintained throughout the duration of the works.

• Pedestrians: The footpath across the bridge remains open.

• Recovery: Support vehicles will be stationed on-site while traffic lights are in operation to assist with any breakdowns.

• Abnormal Loads: A holding layby is available for loads over 80 tonnes and 3.25m wide. However, loads exceeding 100 tonnes are required to utilise alternative routes until the bridge is fully reopened.

Richard Cook, BEAR Scotland's North West Bridge Manager, commented on the revised schedule: "Our teams continue to make good progress on these essential repairs despite challenging weather conditions. We thank road users and local communities for their continued patience and understanding as we work to finish the project safely and as efficiently as possible."

Real-time journey information is available via Traffic Scotland, and road users are encouraged to plan for additional travel time when crossing the Firth.