The incredible 50-year-old UK bridge that will undergo 'unseen works' costing £160k
Work began on the Avonmouth Motorway Bridge near Bristol in 1969 before it eventually opened in 1974 and now National Highways is working to secure its future.
An incredible 50-year-old UK bridge is undergoing "unseen works" as it celebrates its anniversary.
Work began on the M5 Avonmouth Motorway Bridge near Bristol in 1969 before it eventually opened in 1974 and now National Highways is working to secure its future.
Welding work worth £160,000 will take two months to complete below the bridge in order to keep it in shape for the next 50 years, but drivers are unlikely to see officials at work.
National Highways will carry out a "robust inspection and maintenance regime" below the road with officials describing its longevity as "a feat of engineering".
Senior inspector for the group's Specialist Bridges Inspection and Maintenance (SBIM), Shane Stephens told the BBC: "Like all the infrastructure across the strategic road network, the Avonmouth bridge requires plenty of TLC.
"It is a real feat of engineering, and as current custodians, we take a lot of pride in our work as we move into the next 50 years of its life."
The structure measures 0.9 of a mile in total length and 131ft wide with a ground clearance of 100ft.
The original six-lane bridge was designed by Freeman Fox and Partners and built over five years, before the bridge eventually opened to traffic on May 24, 1974.
Fifty years on and the bridge continues to be a gateway to the south west, carrying an average of 125,000 vehicles per day.
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The bridge was strengthened and widened to eight lanes between 1996 and 2001.
Paula Hewitt, chair of the South West Infrastructure Partnership, told the BBC it was not only "an iconic piece of infrastructure but is so important for connectivity in the south west".
She said: "Looking after our critical infrastructure to ensure it can meet the future needs of the region is essential.
"It is great to see National Highways investing in the bridge's maintenance to ensure it is able to meet our future needs."
