Motorists are facing seven weeks of disruption on the A14 and Orwell Bridge as a major programme of maintenance and repairs gets under way.
A principal inspection is due to be carried out on the bridge at the same time as repairs are made to the dual carriageway between Ipswich and Felixstowe.
It will mean some overnight closures of the bridge, while there will be stretches of the A14 restricted to a 30mph speed limit, closures of parts of the road and diversions for drivers.
A spokesman for Highways England said a principal inspection of the Orwell Bridge was carried out every six years.
“The inspection will make sure the structure is in safe and working order and will examine all aspects of the bridge, under and over it,” he said.
“The work is scheduled to take until October and while a lot of the work below the bridge will not affect motorists, there will be some overnight closures during September, through these are still to be confirmed.”
The work on the Orwell Bridge is due to start next Monday around the same time as a project to carry out carriageway resurfacing and repairs, renewal of road markings and other maintenance work between the bridge and Felixstowe, where the road surface has deteriorated in recent years.
Engineers will abseil down the bridge to carry out the inspection and will also access the inside of the bridge – actually two separate bridges about two feet apart across the river.
Notices issued by Highways England say the work will take place between 8pm and 6am on the Felixstowe-bound lanes from 800m east of the Orwell Bridge to 625m east of the Innnocence Lane junction at Kirton; and on the Ipswich-bound carriageway of the trunk road from the High Road, Trimley St Martin, slip road to 1,000m prior to the Orwell Bridge.
The work will be carried out in phases and there will be a 30mph speed limit at all times through the areas affected by the work, and some closures with diversions in place and signposted.
The diversions will vary depending what stretch of road is being worked but will include routes involving the A1214, A1189 and A1156; Innocence Lane and Newbourne Road at Kirton; along High Road through Walton, Felixstowe and Trimley St Martin and Trimley St Mary; and some traffic going via Candlet Road, Garrison Lane and Langer Road.
Diversions are only expected to be put in place during the night working when lorry traffic to and from the Port of Felixstowe is expected to be less.
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