Camel Viaduct in Wadebridge stripped back to bare concrete

Drive over the Camel Viaduct at the moment and one side of it looks nothing like a road. The surface has gone, the old waterproofing has gone, and what is left is pale, bare concrete stretching off towards the far bank.

That is the point. A phase two update on the works, shared by Wadebridge Town Council on Thursday 1 October, says the bridge deck at Wadebridge is being exposed so the structure underneath can be checked before a new waterproofing system goes on.

What has been done so far

According to the update, the team has carried on removing the existing protective layers and waterproofing system from the bridge deck.

It describes this as important preparatory work, which is “allowing the underlying concrete structure to be fully exposed and assessed before the new waterproofing system is installed”.

The remaining footpath and old ducting have also been removed through to the western abutment. The update calls that “another key milestone in the programme”.

What happens next on the bridge

Subject to suitable weather, the team expects to complete the deck preparation this week.

Once that is finished, specialist surveys will be carried out to assess the depth of concrete cover over the bridge’s reinforcement.

Any concrete repairs needed to the bridge deck and abutments will then be done. Only after that will work begin on installing the new waterproofing system.

Why the weather now matters

The update warns that progress will become “increasingly dependent on the weather” as the next phases begin.

Several of the planned activities need dry and calm conditions. So there may be times when work has to pause, which the team says is to make sure the works are “completed safely and to the required quality standards”.

Traffic lights stay as they are

For drivers, nothing changes. Traffic management arrangements remain the same, with two-way temporary traffic lights continuing to operate on the bridge.

The update thanks everyone “for their continued patience and understanding while these essential maintenance works are carried out”, and asks people to share the information with their communities.

Further details are on the Camel Viaduct project page.

📷The exposed concrete deck of the Camel Viaduct at Wadebridge. Credit: Wadebridge Town Council